When it starts to get cold outside bats may look to find comfort in your warm Southern NH home. I know how scary it can be to think the bats are going to harm you, or your family. What if they turn into vampires? You’ll be surprised to learn that vampires aren't real, and bats are actually harmless, and sometimes even cute. When they aren’t in your home, of course!!! Below are some suggestions to get rid of bats in your home.

There are about 40 different species of bats in the United States which can inhabit your Southern NH home for sale. The most common Bats found in North America are The Little Brown Bat, The Big Brown Bat, and The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat. Those are the three species of Bats that are most likely to reside in your home and likely in the attic.

Here are several different ways to keep bats out of your Southern NH home for sale:

Start by finding out how they are getting into your home!

If you have bats in your Southern New Hampshire home, they are getting in somewhere! Figure out where they are getting in, wire mesh, board up and close the area and set up a one way exclusion device to get them to leave your home. This is a small tube where bats can get out of your Southern NH home for sale but can not re-enter. Denying bats reentry is preferable to trapping them, because they are an endangered species and also because they can be dangerous.

Exclusion devices can be purchased online, or at a home improvement center! They are also fairly easy to install in your Southern NH home. 

Be Careful Not To Harm The Bats

There are many different species of bats that are endangered. Please be careful if you manually remove them from your Southern NH home yourself. If you harm the bats and anyone finds out about it, you could have a hefty fine to pay or face jail time. Make sure to always remember that bats are endangered and it is illegal to kill them.

Dispose of Any Waste They Create

Bat droppings are small round pellets called guano which can be harmful. The guano can grow a type of fungus that can cause the lung disease histoplasmosis in humans. Guano has a very powerful, musty smell that can often overpower your Southern NH house. The bat droppings and urine are corrosive to wood and metal, and can compromise the structural integrity of the building.  The droppings and the scent will lure in other animals and insects, so be sure to clean everything thoroughly. 

Call A Professional

If you are questioning whether it is bat guano or just don't know what it is call a pest professional. If you do not think you can remove the bats from your Southern NH home for sale safely and efficiently without harming them or yourself, please call a professional! Exterminators are trained and have the proper equipment. They can get rid of the bats safely and board up all the entrance points that they can squeeze through. And trust us when we tell you, they can get through some small openings.

For more information or a list of Southern New Hampshire houses for sale give our experienced agents at Harmony Real Estate a call today at (603) 883-8840 or visit our website www.Harmony-RE.com for more information.

Here are a few things you can do if you’ve listed your Southern NH home for sale and it just won’t sell.

What can you do to get buyers to look at your Southern NH home? 

• Take Good Photographs

Make sure when you list your house you have good quality photographs of the house you are selling for buyers to look at. If you only have one photo or if the photos are blurry they look careless and buyers will be less interested. Remove excess clutter from the pictures and make them look better. Clear off the kitchen counters, hide all the electric cords, close the toilet lids, turn on all the lights and open all the blinds. If you have a fireplace you can even light it for a warm feel.

The first impression a buyer makes will typically be based on the photos they see online. 80% of home buyers start their search online and it may deter them from even driving by. Hiring a professional may be necessary if the photos don’t look good.

•  Update Your Curb Appeal

Would you want to purchase a home if the yard looked like it hadn’t been maintained in years? Neither would anyone else! Give the exterior of your home a nice facelift by trimming the trees and bushes, mowing the lawn, and picking all the weeds. Adding some color with flowers and fresh mulch can also do a lot for the exterior appeal of your home.

You listed your Southern NH house for sale with the hopes that someone would fall in love with it just like you did, but it just won't sell! Try a fresh coat of paint to the front door or shutters. You may even want to power wash the home, put up a new mailbox or a some outdoor light fixtures. Take a look from the road and see if there is anything that looks dirty and clean it up, remove or replace it.  

• Get Rid of the Clutter

Buyers want to see a clean, open living space when they are searching for their new home. If there is visible clutter in the photos, or during a showing of your house they may be turned off and think you don’t have enough storage space for their family.

Don’t let them get mislead by this mornings mail. Pack all the extra stuff or throw away anything unnecessary and make your home look as big and inviting as possible.

• Depersonalize Your Home

Paint your walls a neutral color, rather than that bright color you love. Take down any family pictures or artwork that your children made you art class, as cute as it may be. Pack away any personal touches and put them up at your new house after you move.

If buyers can’t imagine themselves living in your home they won’t make an offer. Try your best to make the house you’re selling look like a model home.

• Remove ALL Evidence of Pets

Whether they’re allergic to them or they’ve had a bad experience in the past, some people don’t like animals!  Even though your pets are your babies and you love them, you need to hide remove all of their messes from your buyers.

Put their crates in a closet or hide them in a box in the garage or basement. Be sure to put toys, food and water bowls out of sight as well. Always be sure to remove all signs of pet fur or dander as that may turn people off from making an offer. Also, don’t forget to deodorize and get rid of any gross pet smells.

• Freshen Up Your Home

Smell is one of the first things a buyer will notice when they enter your house. Nobody likes to walk into a house and smell an animal, old trash, musty smells, or even smoke. Clean your home thoroughly to get rid of any unwanted smells before it kills your deal.

You can always light candles or place automatic air fresheners around your home, or bake some cookies or a pie, even essential oils have a nice inviting scent as long as it doesn’t seem to be covering another smell. Be sure to choose a subtle scent that can brighten up your living space!

• Renovate 

Not everyone will purchase a house that needs cosmetic updating. Many buyers won’t want the hassle of more work after an exhausting move. However, even small renovations can make a large enough impact on the way a buyer views your house to make them consider it. Fixing small repairs like leaky faucets, broken drawers and faulty lighting fixtures before a buyer sees it is worth the trouble.  

Install a smart thermostat, or a new ceiling fan or lights in your home. Get your carpets cleaned to remove any stains, and fix any holes in your walls, and give the house a fresh coat of paint. The kitchens and bathrooms are where most buyers will spend their time looking so make sure they are clean and organized. While replacing cabinets may be necessary other times repainting and adding new hardware could be enough to keep a buyer interested.

• Staging Works Wonders

Once you’ve depersonalized, renovated, and decluttered your house it’s time to stage like an expert! Most buyers want to look at simple but new things in a home they may be thinking of making their own. Minimal is always best, cut back on furniture and wall hangings to make the rooms appear larger.

Try placing a bowl of fresh fruit or a cookie jar with some delicious cookies on the counter in the kitchen, or a few books and reading glasses on an end table in the living room. Clean off the counters and put some new towels in the bathroom, as well as a candle or two. 

• Consider Your Price

If you’ve done everything listed above and your home still isn’t selling, it may be time to talk to your Real Estate agent about adjusting the price. This is where your agent's knowledge and business savvy will come in handy.

Many times this is the problem and a very obvious suggestion. If you overprice your house buyers might not even consider it. They will not feel you will be reasonable to work with even if you might be willing to work with their numbers. Sometimes all you need is a small reduction to make your buyer feel as if they are getting a great deal.

• Make Your House Available for Showings

Last but not least, if you make your house available for showings more buyers will be able to view your home. If you limit yourself to pre-scheduled viewings, your house won't sell as quickly as you’d like and some people may not even be able to look at it.

If you are flexible with the times when buyers can view your property, you will have a better chance of getting more viewings. More viewings means more potential buyers of your home and that is always a plus.

If you would like to sell your Southern NH home, or just get a market analysis on what your Southern NH house is worth call us today! There is no obligation to work with us and the Comparative Market Analysis is free of charge.