Preparing Your Home for Success
Preparing to put your home on the market takes a keen eye for detail and an impartial assessment. Here are some points to consider when preparing to show your home.
Clean. And then clean some more.
You may have lived in your home for some time. You may accept a few stray pet hairs or some dirty tiles but buyers will not. Walk through your home with a discerning eye and remember that the house must be spotless. Don’t ignore the outside of the property. Buyers will notice unkempt gardens, chipped walkways, and oil stains on the driveway.
De-clutter.
Too much stuff not only clutters your home but also clutters your buyer’s line of sight and can make your home appear smaller. If the buyer is looking at the clutter in the home instead of the features, you’ve lost the sale. Rent a storage unit if necessary and remove all unnecessary items from the home. Don’t use the garage – buyers will look there as well.
Eliminate Smells.
If you have pets or kids or smokers in your home, chances are you have become accustomed to their smells. Buyers will react negatively to these smells. A thorough cleaning of your home may eliminate the odors but if necessary, hire a cleaning company to steam clean the carpets and furniture. Repainting walls which are discolored due to nicotine or cooking can help eliminate odors as well.
Repaint if Necessary.
You may love your colorful home but the goal is for buyers to be able to see themselves living there. To that end, it is preferable to repaint any colorful rooms a more neutral color.
De-personalize the home.
Given that the goal is for the buyer to be able to picture themselves living there, it is best to remove all personal items such as photos, trophies and diplomas. You want your home to be as impersonal as possible.
Stage Your Home.
You can enlist the services of a professional stager or you can stage it yourself. Stagers can provide services ranging from a general consultation to bringing in new furniture, and everything in between. If you have an eye for color and design, you can stage it yourself. The goal is to arrange your home so it appears to be a model home: devoid of any personal effects but beautiful and spotless.
What is Showcasing?
- Space planning
- Functional Staging
- Decluttering
- Fresh Paint
- Money-Making Renovations with Tried & True Vendors
Buyers: Stay in budget and open doors!
Work with an agent who understands showcasing! Not every home has been prepped for you to fall in love during a showing. Open doors to opportunities on the market with help from an agent who understands how renovations, interior design, paint, or decluttering can affect a space. Shopping for a home with an agent who does not understand showcasing is not only costing you time on the market, but it can also cost you your dream home.