Selling your home is hard enough. You do not want to make a simple staging mistake and send buyers fleeing. You do not have to stage your home like a pro to make it sell; simply avoiding common blunders can make the property more attractive and boost the odds of finding a willing buyer.
Knowing what turns off buyers is a good start. No matter how attractive your home, some things tend to turn buyers away and make them rethink the purchase. Simply avoiding these common no-no’s can make your home more attractive and more valuable to potential buyers.
Some homes are purchased within days of being listed for sale. Others can linger for what seems like an eternity. If you’re having trouble selling your house, there might be some steps you can take to speed up the process. Here is a look at some common reasons why houses don’t sell.
Pets 
It is a good idea to send the pets away when a showing is scheduled. Some buyers are simply turned off by the idea of pets, and they will look more closely at every discoloration on the carpets and hardwood floors. Even if your home and carpets are scrupulously clean, some buyers may not be able to get past the fact you have pets.
Also be sure to put away the doggie beds, toys, litter boxes and other evidence of pets in the home. Even if the buyers know you have pets, it is a good idea to stow the evidence until after the showing is over.
Smoking
Most of the evidence is anecdotal, but real estate agents report that a home with at least one resident smoker sells for 10 to 30 percent less than a comparable home with no evidence of smoking. It’s not just cigarette smoke either; mildew, cat urine and cooking odors will also hinder your sale. If in doubt, ask an outsider to put your home through the sniff test and hire a crack cleaning team to neutralize odors before you sell.
Related Article: Condition Matters When Selling a House
Children’s Toys
Leaving the kids’ toys, bikes and other items scattered around the home can also be a turnoff for some buyers. Leaving toys laying around will make the house look more cluttered, and it could cause some people to look for hidden damage to floors, carpets and walls.
Stowing the bike in the garage until after the showing and putting the toys away will eliminate the cluttered look and make the home more attractive to would-be buyers. It only takes a couple of minutes, and it could make your home more attractive to potential home buyers.
