Every home seller wants to ensure they get top dollar for their home
and get those offers rolling in quickly. Properly preparing or
“staging" your house before you place it on the market can help get
that sold sign up quickly. It’s imperative these steps be taken before
you list your house on the market because the first few weeks the house
is on the market are the most critical.
Clean thoroughly
- This is the one time when you need your house to be spotless – both
inside and outside. Potential buyers will be turned off by dishes in
the sink, a smelly litter box or dusty furniture. Professionally clean
your carpets. This will help remove smells that linger. Remember, you
want to create a lasting impression – a positive one. Clean your
windows, wipe down floor molding, clean counter tops, replace moldy or
aged caulking and even clean your garage. If this seems like too much
work, hire a housecleaning service to help. You should also consider
having them return weekly while the house is on the market. Prepare
yourself and your family for the challenge of keeping your home
spotless for the next several weeks. Reward your children for helping
and keeping their rooms clean.
Remove clutter -
To ensure your house looks as big and roomy as possible you will need
to remove clutter and excess furniture. Tackle one room at time. Work
through every closet, drawer and cabinet of every room. Sort items into
three groupings: things you must leave in the room because it is a
necessity, things you need to keep but can keep in storage and things
that can be thrown away. Your goal as you de-clutter is to make your
home look as spacious as possible. Keep in mind that potential buyers
will look into closets, cabinets and even drawers as they walk through
your home.
Remove excess furniture - Leave only
those furniture items that are necessary and those items that reflect
the purpose of the room. If furniture impedes a pathway, move it to
storage. Rent a storage facility so your excess clutter and furniture
can be taken offsite. This is not the time to save a few dollars and
store everything in the garage. You need to remove clutter from the
garage as well so it looks as spacious as the rest of your de-cluttered
home.
Neutral Colors - While you might love that
bright pink or red bedroom, many potential buyers will be turned off by
bold paint and carpet colors. Most buyers walk through a house and try
to visualize how it will look with their furniture in the home. They
may find this difficult to do if the color scheme clashes with their
items. Think neutral and warm to appeal to the widest audience.
Repaint, strip wallpaper or remove paneling that does not fit this
neutral definition. Carpet that is not neutral in color or is highly
worn should be replaced. You can replace with an inexpensive carpet,
but carpet should be replaced if it distracts from neutrality or is
worn to a point of hurting the value of the home. Once the walls and
carpeting are neutral colors, you can add back some color and style
with accents and accessories.
Accentuate Key Features
- Take advantage of unique or key features of your home. If you have
beautiful hardwood floors, don’t hide them with a large area rug.
Removing the rug and polishing the hardwood floor will show off this
key element of your home. For fireplaces, be sure to thoroughly clean
the inside of the fireplace and spruce up the mantel with some small
topiaries or other decorative accents. Take advantage of other key
features of your home and accentuate them so they become a focal point
of the room.
Curb Appeal - After tackling the
inside of your home, you need to clean up the outside as well. First
impressions are lasting. Potential buyers will gain their first
impression of your home as they drive up for a showing. You want
positive curb appeal. Paint the exterior of your home and window trim
if needed. Trim your bushes and trees. Mow and edge your yard weekly
while the house is on the market. Remove leaves and weeds from your
flowerbeds. Adding fresh flowers and new mulch will help turn on the
charm.
Prepare for the Showings - After you have
staged your house and listed in on the market, be ready for the
showings and take steps to enhance the experience for the potential
buyers. Be careful of what you cook. Having fish for lunch may sound
appetizing, but the smell could linger into your unplanned evening
showing. Strategically place air fresheners throughout the house, but
use them in moderation. You should plan to leave the house for every
showing. Walk each room just before you leave and pick up any stray
items the kids may have left behind. Be sure to take your pets with
you. A barking dog can be a significant turn off for a potential buyer.
Empty all trash cans and turn on all lights before you leave. Be
patient and hang in there. Showings can be a significant interruption
and the effort it takes to keep your house spotless may seem
overwhelming. In the end, it will be worth the effort and will help you
find the right buyer early in the process.
If you follow these
suggestions wholeheartedly, you may have second thoughts about selling
your home now that it looks so appealing. As you look around your clean
and uncluttered home, you may recall that this is probably what it
looked like when you first bought it. Ironically, that is the intent of
proper staging. Potential buyers should now see your home the same way
you did when it first appealed to you.
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