Selling Your Home: It Isn't For Sissies!! "The Living Room"

2nd in the series - Selling Your Home:  It Isn’t For Sissies!  

In part one of our series, Selling Your Home:  It Isn’t For Sissies, we talked about what needs to be done on THE OUTSIDE.  Now, let’s walk through the front door and tackle the inside, one room at a time.  Keeping in mind that we have a couple of goals in mind.  The first to remove as much of YOU as possible.  This will allow us to attain our second goal: allowing the buyers to see THEMSELVES there.

Depending on where you live it may be a Living Room, Great Room, Den, Parlor, or even Florida Room. Regardless of what you call it, this room is normally the first one a potential buyer will see when they walk through the front door and we want to make sure their initial reaction is a positive one.  Close your eyes again and picture the model center you imagined.  How does it compare to yours?  

• Is the room overstuffed with furniture?  Too many pieces will make the room look small.

• Is the furniture arranged in an attractive way.  Is that wonderful, comfy recliner you relax in every evening blocking the flow.  TIP:  Go online and look at some room staging ideas.   Try something new.  It may not be exactly what works for you but does it makes it more attractive to the buyer.

• Look at your sofa, is it clean and inviting.  This is the time to pack away that crocheted afghan you made in high school.  Yes, it’s great for snuggling on a cool night, but you won’t see that in any model home!  TIP: Opt instead for some inexpensive bright and cheery throw pillows from the local department store.

• Are the coffee and end tables cluttered with magazines and all the other personal things you need within reach while watching TV after a hard day at work?  Instead of a coaster for your frosty ice-tea glass, are you using a folded paper towel that’s been there for weeks?  TIP: Take all the things off that end table next to your comfy chair and put them in a small basket.  Now, when you leave for work in the morning you can easily grab the basket and store it out of sight.  As for the coffee table - look around and find a colorful bowl or vase that you’ve stuck in a cabinet or closet.  Remember: less is more!

• Is the wall over the couch covered with little Suzie’s baby pictures?  Time to take those down, spackle the holes and touch up with paint.  The buyers will never be able to imagine themselves curled up on their sofa with Suzie staring down at them.

• If you have a fireplace make sure it’s free of ashes.  Placing wood for a new fire says “come sit by me” on a cool night.

• If you have carpet now’s the time to give it a good cleaning. While you’re picking up throw pillows for the sofa, grab a throw rug or two in a coordinating color.

• Make sure windows, baseboards, light switches and areas around doors are clean.  Make sure all lights have bright bulbs in them and that the blades on the ceiling fan are clean.

As you have read this I’ll bet you’ve been thinking that we are crazy and that there is no way you’re going to not “live” in your house while it’s on the market.  I’ll even bet you are smiling and nodding your head right now!  But remember when we told you that it’s not our job to tell you what you want to hear?   I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but it is what is going to help your house sell and that’s ultimately what you want, right?   

Yes, you’re nodding and smiling again.

Bill and Cyndi

P.S. - Stay tuned, tomorrow we tackle the kitchen so grab some rubber gloves and be ready.