10 Things People Always Notice When They Enter Your House

When I was about eleven or twelve, I painted one bedroom wall gold metallic; in the fifties that paint was not easy to find, so I had to really search and get somebody to take me to a hardware store. Everyone thought I was very strange. I painted it a little bit at a time, and let me tell you something: it is not easy to cover gold metallic paint when somebody moves in.

I always had that, and I still do: when I go into somebody’s home, I sit there and think of ways to change it; if I go into a hotel room, I like to change it. It is something in my mind I cannot stop.

That decorating reflex changes the way I experience a house. A first impression arrives as a feeling—bright or dark, comfortable or awkward, cared for or neglected—before people name what they saw. After more than forty years in real estate, these are the ten signals I watch people respond to first.

1. The temperature

The air should be cool—keep it cool in there; do not let somebody go into an oven.

In South Florida, lower the temperature early enough for the whole home to feel comfortable, not only the room nearest the thermostat.

2. The smell

In the old days they used to say that, if you were showing a place, put some cinnamon in the oven: throw in apples and cinnamon, because it is a relaxing smell, like somebody is making a pie.

Fragrance comes after the source of any odor has been removed. Empty the trash, handle dirty dishes and damp towels, and let in fresh air when the weather allows. The deeper source-by-source checklist is in Things That Make Your Home Smell Bad.

3. The light

I like bright, and natural light is a must because my mood changes in a dark space. Now, if I am in a cute little pub or a restaurant with great chandeliers and candles, I am fine with that—but I like lots of windows, lots of light, and I do not want to be in a space that does not seem bright.

Open the window treatments during the day. At night, use lamps so the corners do not disappear beneath one glaring ceiling fixture.

4. The amount of visual noise

When you are getting ready to show your place, make sure everything is minimal: clean the counters, do not stack your appliances, and do not make people look at every appliance you own because it is too confusing. Hide what you do not need, put it in storage, keep it clean; when somebody comes in and sees clutter, the buyer gets turned off.

Mail, chargers, shoes, bags, and unfinished projects all ask for attention. Give daily things a place to land and clear enough space to understand the room.

5. The little signs of care—or neglect

Before I take a listing, I personally walk through the place: if something is visibly broken or there is a crack in the wall, I say, okay, this needs to be fixed, this needs to be addressed; let us get a handyman in here, because it is worth it. Look at a loose cupboard handle or refrigerator handle—the simple things your eye catches—and then the broken chair, the disgustingly dirty shower or bathtub. Write down what should be addressed and hire a housekeeper or handyman; I do not care if it costs three to five hundred dollars, because in the long run you are going to get your price.

These are not glamorous improvements. A clean, working detail simply says somebody has been paying attention.

No one wants to walk in and think, if this is what it looks like now, what else am I going to find; when everything looks sparkling clean and organized, you think, well, they take good care of this place.

Number one, the seller should never be there for a showing; you do not want people asking the seller anything. As a realtor, you had better know everything about the property—especially with a condo, you need to know the association. I have actually cleaned apartments before clients arrived because clothes were lying around. A seller may say it was short notice, and twenty-four hours’ notice is smart, but sometimes a buyer is in town for a few hours and that is the exception; you show it. I get there a little early because I want to make sure it is showable.

6. The kitchen counters

Before kitchen photographs, keep it uncluttered, clean, and inviting; put out fresh fruit or a bowl of lemons, something happy, and have flowers.

The kitchen does not need to be empty, expensive, or newly renovated. Leave out what makes it useful and welcoming, then give everything else somewhere to go.

7. The distractions

Do not have personal photos, because people’s eyes go there instead of where they should be looking—no distractions. You can even play very soft classical music; make it inviting, so when they leave they say, wow, that was so nice. People remember those little touches.

For a listing, photographs pull a buyer into the owner’s life instead of helping the buyer imagine their own. Personality belongs in a home; distraction does not.

8. Whether the room has a point of view

I would say eclectic because I like a mix. Right now I am looking for a cool vintage piece from the sixties or seventies—a living-room table to go between those two blue chairs, something that is more of a conversation piece and adds warmth to that little area.

I am not a beige girl, but beige with fantastic artwork and accessories is a whole different thing: a clean look with amazing artwork, a major theme, black and whites, and fresh flowers with color. I am fine with that when it is done in the right way.

A memorable room needs one choice somebody meant to make: a vintage table, strong artwork, or flowers against a quiet background.

9. Whether they understand how the room works

With a vacant apartment, you can stage the online photograph as long as you say it has been staged; take that photo to the showing and say, see how this could look—sofa here—are you bringing furniture or buying new furniture? Let them visualize what the room could be. Actual rental furniture costs money to deliver and rent, and what if the buyer hates the modern or contemporary furniture and remembers that? You have got to improvise; the online before and after can look great.

The lesson applies beyond vacant listings. Arrange the space so a person knows where to sit and how to walk through. A room feels larger when its job is clear.

10. Whether they feel welcomed

Everything has got to be in place: fresh flowers, candles with a nice scent, nice serving glasses and serving pieces. When you bring people into your home, you want them to feel good; I want them to enjoy their evening as though they are in a nice restaurant or a cozy club.

This is the impression underneath the other nine: somebody thought about the person coming through the door. Start at the front door, pay attention to the first ten seconds, and fix the thing that interrupts the welcome. Then stop. What people remember is how the house made them feel.