Buying a new home is an exciting phase in life – especially if it’s your first home. There is the feeling of making a space your own and starting fresh that adds a thrill to the whole process! But when you’ve been looking at homes for weeks or months, it can start to feel overwhelming, and the potential most homes offer is lost in the daunting prospect of making someone else’s house seem like a home to a new buyer.
Buyers might struggle with questions like: what if we go to all the bother of moving in and then hate it there? What if something expensive falls apart? Where will I put all my clothes if the closets are that small? Why is that wall painted that color? How will my furniture fit in this living room? There are so many carpets that might need to be replaced!
These worries plague home buyers and can make a house seem like it’s so not home. That’s where a few simple (not manipulative) tricks come in that can help you help home buyers see potential and feel a sense of calm as they take the leap and become homebuyers.
1) Fix Damage
The simplest way to make sure home buyers aren’t scared off, is making sure cosmetic and other damage is fixed before they even step foot onto the property. Seeing damaged railings, excessively scuffed floors, dented walls, ill-fitting cabinet doors, and cracked tiles can give the impression that the home buyer is walking into a fixer-upper – it can make the whole house seem impossibly foreign and even unlivable. The potential of the space is lost when all they can focus on is the glaring (though mostly minor) flaws.
2) Make the Place Cozy
Homes for sale are often cleaned and arranged in such a way that it seems like no one has ever lived there (and therefore never could). Potential home buyers might feel cold and unwelcome – a feeling already present since they are entering a stranger’s house. The writers over at The Balance suggest laying out plush throw blankets and soft pillows to make each room seem cozy. They also suggest firing up the fireplace and turning on some soft, atmospheric music to give the house a lived-in, welcoming feel.
3) E-Design
Your Design Partner was created to make the prospect of designing a home stress-free. And one of the ways we do that is through e-design. This handy tool allows us to take an empty room (virtually, of course) and furnish it with attractive and stylish furniture, art, rugs, plants, and more that bring that space to life. Few things are more frightening to new home buyers than the thought of filling an empty room – where do you even start?
Well, hello e-design!
Whether you’re a realtor or new homeowner, Your Design Partner can help you avoid design missteps, decision paralysis, and the hassle of buying (and then returning) furniture that doesn’t fit your space and doesn’t speak the language of your personality.
It’s also cost-effective! View our packages here, and let us help you envision the space of your dreams and bring it to life!
4) Curb Appeal
Make a good first impression. Don’t overlook the importance of how your home is seen from the outside. A fresh cut lawn, trimmed trees and shrubbery go a long way for making a good impression. Consider adding decorative or walkway stones and putting some colorful potted plants on the porch.
To learn more about our process and to see if we are a good fit, we invite you to take advantage of a complimentary discovery call.
Your partner in design,
Team YDP
Want to show off your beautiful home (that may or may not be for sale)? Snap some pictures and share with the YDP team by tagging me (@your_design_partner) in your Instagram Stories!
