I had two listing appointments over the weekend that had me pleasantly surprised. Usually, when I visit a seller's home, I go room by room suggesting changes that they can make to improve the way their home is viewed by potential buyers. Sometimes this advice falls on deaf ears or leaves sellers wondering why this is even important. I was pleasantly relieved that both of these potential clients seemed to be keenly aware of the necessity of certain staging tricks to help sell their home. With the proliferation of HGTV shows that focus on home buying and selling I guess I should not be so surprised. I am writing this blog entry to help those who are wondering what to do to prepare their homes for sale.
1) Get a storage unit!!!!! You want to maximize floor space in your home. Buyers need to see every square foot of your house and if they feel like it is too small, they won't buy it. If the recliner in the guest bedroom takes up too much of that floor space, it needs to go. I say get a storage unit because I do not want to see it shoved in the garage. You will also need this storage unit to store all of the other things I am going to suggest that you pare down.
2) Clean off the bookcases and shelves. Family photos are ok, if they are kept to a minimum and as long as the photos are not too distracting. Potential buyers will stop and look at every photo hanging on the wall and we want them to look at your home. Pack up the collectibles and the knick knacks.
3) Clean off the counters. Remove virtually everything off of the kitchen counters and bathroom vanities. Buyers want to see how much work space they will have in your kitchen and in your bathroom they do not need to see all of your toiletries.
4) Organize the closets. Sellers often ask me what to do about the closets. In the master bedroom closet, you should thin out majorly and organize what you leave behind. The larger the closet appears, the better. In all of the other closets, do the same. You do not need to remove everything from the closet. but it should be neat and organized.
5) Clean the carpets, windows, and the front door. You only get one chance to make a first impression. Buyers need to be wowed at the door. The front entrance to your home should be clean and inviting. If there are bugs galore, a buyer will think that is what they are likely to find inside as well. Buyers don't know how much it actually costs to replace the carpeting if they should choose to do so. If your carpets are in disrepair or beyond cleaning, you should consider replacing them. Buyers cannot visualize what new carpets will look like, they want to see them already replaced. Don't wait to get an offer to do so.
6) CURB APPEAL, curb appeal, curb appeal. Finally, all of the above recommendations are good ones, but the one that will matter more than most is to take the time to make the outside of your home a reflection of what a buyer will find inside. Remember, most buyers start their home shopping online so that exterior photo of your home might be the only thing that makes them want to make an appointment to come see it. Fresh flowers, fresh mulch, planters with color, clean gutters and rooftops, shrubbery that is trimmed, and grass that is green and well maintained will sure to impress picky buyers.
7) Check your paint colors. I had a seller once tell me that paint colors do not matter. After years of showing thousands of homes to potential clients, I can tell you with absolute certainty that paint colors do matter. Your color palette should be neutral. That means stay away from the bright blues and yellows. Red is not neutral and neither is orange. Tans, beiges, light creams are neutral colors that are not offensive to potential buyers. Again, buyers are not good at estimating costs and they ALWAYS over estimate. You do not want a buyer not to chose your home because they do not want to spend the money nor the time repainting every room to their taste. They may repaint to their taste later, but we want them to do so because they want to, not because they HAVE to. Ask your real estate agent for advice about the right color.
8) Check the placement of your furniture. Do you have too much? Do you have too little? Are buyers walking into your living room and staring at the back of your couch? Is the focus on the TV or on the fireplace? Is my bedroom furniture too big for the room? Do I really need 4 chairs in my living room. Can I collapse my dinette table to make the room a little larger? You do not need to buy all new furniture, but you can assess what you have and whether or not it appeals to most buyers. I do realize that buyers are not necessarily buying your furniture, but if they can't see past it, will they buy your home? Slip covers and cushions make a big improvement.
Stay tuned in the future for more staging advice. Call your real estate professional for room by room tips and tricks to help your home sell faster.
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