The first rooms your prospective buyers are going to see will be your main living spaces.

 

If you’ve read my previous articles, you’ll already be looking around to see whether your rooms need a fresh coat of paint and some attention to the flooring, but there are some extra tips you should know about for dressing your main rooms.

 

 

Your living room is probably the first room your prospective buyers will see. In fact, since most newer homes and townhomes in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody are designed on an open plan without a separate foyer area, odds are good that this feature space might be right up front and centre.

 

If there’s a fireplace, does it work? Make sure it’s clean and usable, and if you’re showing your home during the cooler months, the warm glow of a gas fireplace will make your living room cozy and welcoming.

 

Make sure that you don’t have any other-purpose items in the room. You may use your living room for ironing or riding your exercise bike in front of the TV when you don’t have company, but your buyers don’t need to see it. Likewise, it’s time to box up all your knickknacks and family photos. One or two pieces of good artwork on the walls will add class.

 

Make sure you have plenty of good lighting placed evenly around the room, as well as any ceiling fixture. Pull back or remove window coverings to let as much natural light in as possible. Many homes in Coquitlam have good views so buyers will like to look out of the windows.

 

 

The home you’re selling might not have a separate dining room, but you probably have an area with a dining table and chairs, and possibly a sideboard or china cabinet (don’t forget to declutter and dress it). Any other furniture needs to be removed for a spacious look, and you should also remove any table leaves and extra chairs.

 

Setting the table as though you were about to serve a holiday meal can look both fake and cluttered, but a bare table isn’t welcoming. A tablecloth or table runner, with candles and an elegant arrangement of fresh flowers, is enough to suggest a festive meal.

 

 

The kitchen is one place where you might have to spend a bit of money to update and upgrade. Shabby or dated countertops could crush a potential sale, and new countertops could sell your home for you. Also, if you’ve got tiles in your kitchen, check for cracking and stains. If they can’t be cleaned to a nearly-new look, consider redoing the grout or replacing the tiles altogether.

 

Make sure your counters are bare, with only a few classic items such as a coffee pot, toaster, and fruit bowl sitting out. Likewise, strip your refrigerator of magnets and papers for a clean look, and if you store things on top of it, get them out of sight.

 

Finally, kitchen odours are a key to the whole impression of your kitchen and your home. Garbage containers should be empty and sanitized, covered or hidden in a cupboard. An odour-neutralizing spray helps remove unpleasant smells, and you could even bake cookies.

 

Once you’ve convinced your prospective buyers that they could live and entertain in your main rooms, all you need to do is make sure they like the bedrooms and bathrooms. My next article will give you some tips on making sure they do.

 

For additional information contact Milo McGarry at 604-341-0062. Milo is a senior real estate analyst and agent in Coquitlam, a bedroom community of Vancouver, BC. Since 1987 he has been well respected for his passion for the business and ability to spot emerging trends.