Before Your Home Is Shown
One of the keys to success in today’s ultra-competitive real estate market is to position your home as the most desirable property at a given price in a given area.
Obviously, the most important variable in that equation is price. But making sure your home is in optimal showing condition will set it apart from the competition—and can be the difference between a timely and productive sale or a long, drawn-out process.
Below are the actions that consistently move the needle.
De-Clutter
Go through your home room by room and ask yourself what you can throw away and what you can box up and put in storage.
Organize
Lack of storage space can be a deal-breaker. Go through closets and pantries, then reorganize—throw away, give away, or put away anything you don’t need.
Clean
Give your home a deep clean from top to bottom, including windows, upholstery and carpet, and the refrigerator and oven (yes, buyers actually open them).
Brighten Your Home
Light gives the impression of space. Prior to showings, wash windows, raise blinds, and turn on lights.
Maintain the Exterior
Maintain your lawn and landscaping, and shovel and de-ice walkways in the winter. Make balconies, decks, and patios inviting with potted plants and flowers.
Make Repairs
Take care of quick and easy repairs such as touch-up spackling and painting, replacing a cracked window or torn screen, fixing a leaky faucet, and changing burned out light bulbs.
Hire a Home Inspector
Hiring a professional, licensed home inspector prior to putting your home on the market allows you to spot potential problems and make repairs before buyers make them an issue.
Disclose Everything
By law, sellers must disclose existing structural and mechanical problems, flooding, the presence of lead paint, information on radon hazards, and other known defects to potential buyers. Withholding this information can have much more serious repercussions than the problem itself.
Staging Your Home
Staging is the art of merchandising a home to improve its marketability. It can be as simple as rearranging a few pieces of furniture or as elaborate as hiring a professional to furnish an empty home right down to the plants and artwork.
Today, every home that is listed for sale should be staged to some degree. Your home must show like a model in order to stand out against the competition.
View Staging TipsRoom-by-Room Priorities
These are the spots buyers scrutinize most closely.
Kitchen
- Keep kitchen counters and refrigerators clean and clear of all items.
- If your kitchen needs an update, paint cupboards with a neutral color and replace knobs on cabinets.
Bathrooms
- Remove all personal items from the bathroom counter.
- Personal photographs and mementos add warmth and character—use them in moderation so buyers focus on the home.
Staging Tips That Make a Home Feel “Easy”
Simple changes that help buyers understand the space and imagine living there.
Overall Look
- Use neutral colors and décor to appeal to the largest number of potential buyers.
- Add color through accessories such as pillows, vases and rugs.
- Arrange furniture in small groupings that demonstrate a room’s functionality, and do not overcrowd a room with furniture.
Light & Windows
- Use light, airy window treatments, like simple sheers on a curtain rod.
- Hang window treatments so they cover the least amount of glass.
Furniture & Finish
- Camouflage outdated furniture or worn upholstery with slip covers.
- Replace worn bedspreads and throw rugs.
Looking for further insight on how to stage your home? Get in contact with me, and I'll help you make your home the most appealing to potential buyers.