SO much to like about summer: long days, time outside, more casual clothing,  and OHYES really motivated buyers!

Yes, Westchester County’s summer selling season is upon us. Selling an occupied house in the summer presents certain challenges.  The Refreshed Home counsels that odors are a part of life…but high temps/humidity, paired with our keeping windows closed to keep the AC in can supercharge odors. The dog that got caught in the rain, this mornings gym gear, last nights’ grilled salmon-these will be the first things to greet a potential buyer.

Good listing photos get buyers to the house, but engaged buyers are the ones who linger, and make offers. Properties need to SMELL as good as it LOOKS, so here’s some tips to keep your buyers smiling and interested:

• Keep the dog, fish tank, and gerbil cage clean, and the litter box emptied
• Take the garbage out every night
• Change/launder bedding and bath towels more frequently-fresh crisp linens are a real upper
• Overall, do laundry more often, and keep dirty laundry in the washer in-between loads (not in hampers in the bedroom or bathroom
• Keep any used sports gear-sneakers, bicycle helmets, etc-outside the house like the garage or out on the patio
• Keep wet towels where they can dry quickly-back of the bathroom door just does not work
• Open the windows when you can, look to cross-ventilate the house. Use an attic fan if you have one.
•  1/2 c baking soda down a drain, followed by 2 c white vinegar will clear AND freshen up stinky drains
• To clean out a microwave, put a sliced lemon in a glass bowl with water, and hit HIGH for a few minutes

Plug-in oil diffusers or many spray remedies are obvious, and often too heavy. They can be a red flag and aggravate respiratory issues.

Smokers in the house? 

• Don’t smoke anywhere in or near house, that includes patio, deck, garage, mechanical room or basement
• Fibers absorb and retain odor, look into having carpets, draperies and upholstery professionally cleaned
• So do walls. A fresh coat of paint is a two-fer: a good look, and it knocks out most smoking odor

Damp basement? Who’s isn’t this time of year? But buyers can be skittish…

• Try an easily available desiccant like Damp Rid first, just be sure to keep it away from pets and kids
• A fan can move around stale air
• If you have a dehumidifier, empty it frequently. Make sure it looks clean and operates smoothly. A dusty, wheezing, drippy de-humidifier is pretty gross.

We all can be immune to our own immediate environment. So last, when in doubt, ask a good friend. They understand being kind and being direct are not contradictory.

Thinking of selling? Old or under-performing listing? Talk to me TODAY about getting your property noticed, and SOLD!