Prepping your house to sell? Before you list, keep in mind that people are turned off by rooms that look and feel cluttered. Remember, potential buyers are buying your house, not your belongings, so help them picture themselves and their possessions in your home by making your rooms feel large, light, neutral, and airy. As you clean, get rid of surplus books, magazines, CD's, extra furniture, rugs, vases, etc.
It's hard to get rid of possessions, but cleaning and clearing out the clutter can really pay off in the end. Make your garage and basement as tidy as the rest of your house. If you haven't used it in years, Get rid of it. If you don't plan to use it at the new home, get rid of it now! Don't let anything detract from making your best first impression.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for a garage sale:
Allow three or four weeks to prepare for the sale.
Date and Time - Choose a day and time to start your garage sale. Avoid holiday weekends, unless you know there is increased traffic in your area.
Share a Sale - Think about having your sale with neighbours, neighbourhood garage sales are popular. - You can share advertising costs, and buyers like hitting an area with several sales.
Merchandise - Choose what you want to sell. You should try to have a wide variety of items. Many collectors and dealers frequent garage sales, so don't be afraid to include one of a kind type items. (Ex: one single glass or one individual dish) Neat displays and groupings are recommended. Be certain all your items are clean and dust free.
Displaying - Cluster like items together, keep surroundings clean and neat. - Consider offering all items on a table for a $1, or a whole box for $5. Place large items like electronics, tools and appliances close to the curb, and breakables up on tables, out of reach of little hands.
Price items - Little white stickers listing price are easy to use. Be prepared to drop your prices. Pricing can be set at about 1/3 the retail brand new cost to you. Obviously, some items will not yield 1/3, such as clothes or books. Hewlett Packard offers a free online Garage Sale Kit for you to print off that provides customizable garage sale signs, price tags, and table tents.
Before the sale - place a classified ad in the local papers giving days and time of sale and direction to your home. Put up ads in supermarkets and other public places. Be prepared for early birds. You may want to consider stating in your ad whether you accept early birds or not.
Day of sale:
- Put out directional signs to your property.
- Make sure you have plenty of bags, boxes and paper on hand for packing.
- Keep plenty of change available and have someone manning the change box.
- Be sure to have an electrical source. This is for people to test any electrical items you have for sale
- If your home is for sale make sure to feature flyers about your house.
- On a hot day, have a table with cold drinks. On a cold day, try something warm such as hot chocolate. Buyers will stay longer if they are comfortable.
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