The New Year at Lake Oconee brings an optimistic outlook for real estate in the lake area as the end of last year showed an increase in sales in the area. However, it remains a "Buyer's Market" with a large inventory of homes for sale. Thus, with a large pool of homes for buyers to choose from, it is even more important to make your listed home stand out from the crowd! That means that Staging Your Home to Sell is a must. The major tasks of staging a home to sell are sorted into the areas of cleaning, de-cluttering, and de-personalizing. The other day as I was completing the complementary staging of a new listing, some specific reminders came to mind that I wanted to pass on to those people preparing to sell their home this year.
- Complete all deferred home maintenance. Even small projects such as replacing electrical outlet covers, or re-caulking a bathtub, etc., should be done before listing, as they are likely to show up on the home inspection report in preparation for closing. In the buyer's market, the buyer may ask that these repairs be done as a prerequisite for closing the sale. A home which is in good repair compares better to others that are not.
- Store all weapons in a secure place, or remove from the home. A homeowner does not want the responsibility for someone's getting hurt from a weapon, or of the chance of a weapon being stolen. Even knives can be considered as weapons.
- Remove all items with personal information from view in the home. Sellers often forget that refrigerator magnets, receipts or bills, and prescriptions may reveal information that could lead to identity theft, or loss of privacy. In any case, those items are definite reminders of the current owners of the property, which may prevent the buyer from imagining himself in this particular home.
- Keep all windows clean, and open to the view. The view outside the home is important for the sale. Most owners are in the habit of closing window treatments to prevent sun bleaching or heating. However, potential buyers include the view as an essential part of the home that makes it attractive. That lake view, or beautiful back yard can make the sale! Extending the view makes the home seem larger, too.
- Increase the light power in every room. This is the indoor version of #4. Every home looks better with more light, and light makes people more cheerful. A seller should make sure that every light bulb is working, and that the wattage is higher than usual.
Home staging is more important than ever as there is a large inventory of properties for sale. The more you prepare your home to sell, the shorter the time it will be on the market. Another plus of home staging is that if one de-clutters and discards unwanted belongings early in the selling process, the move after the sale to a new home will be easier! A recent closing had was delayed as the seller had not de-cluttered the home even though he had not lived in it for two years, so it took longer to move! Consider home staging the first step in the selling process, and the first step in the moving process.
For more information about Staging Your Home to Sell, contact Suzie and Jim Hudson at RE/MAX Agents Realty at Lake Oconee. 706-347-1115. We provide complementary staging for every home we list. To search for a home in the Lake Oconee area, go to our website LakeOconee.com.
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