They work with the “flow” of a home to eliminate clutter, neutralize personal touches that might turn off a buyer who cannot envision their personal belongings intertwined with yours on the bookshelf, rearrange furniture, and even assist in enhancing curb appeal. Or, if you’re more the do-it-yourself type, below are some tips on what you can do to improve your home’s “first impression.” Remember that first impression may make them come back, but it can also drive them away for good.

Start at the curb

Curb appeal is the first step to selling your home. No one wants to buy a previous owner’s
dirty house. Power-wash the siding and wash windows until they shine. Trees, shrubs, and flowers should be neat and tidy, the garden weeded and the lawn mowed and edged. Once you’ve removed everything that isn’t necessary, add touches such as large, lush flower pots or hanging planters to welcome visitors.

Move Inside

Once you’ve created a promising exterior, you need to focus on the interior. The key to staging is to make it meaningful, set the tone and suggest countless possibilities. That means you need to remove everything that could distract the buyer’s attention. Keep only what you must to remain functional. If you don’t use something everyday, pack it for the
move. Like the exterior, the inside needs to be neat and clean. If paint is showing signs of age, repaint. Neutrals often work best. Once the house is clean, stage your home with minimal furnishings.

If you need inspiration, visit some model homes to see how decorators have put rooms together. Clear out closets, cupboards, and drawers. Strip the kitchen down to the necessities. Counters, however, should be clear, except for a decoratively placed
bowl of fruit or bouquet of fresh flowers. It’s not necessary for individual rooms to be used for their original purpose as long as the functions they represent are
logical and show the space off well.

Remove anything personal such as family pictures and mementos. Edit books, CDs, and videos on bookshelves. Arrange furniture to enhance the strengths of the room
and facilitate traffic flow.

If your furniture shows signs of age, consider borrowing pieces. Open the curtains to allow natural light to fill the room. Appeal to the buyer’s sense of smell. Hot apple
cider, cinnamon rolls, or fresh baked cookies add a homey
smell.

Simplicity and comfort is your ultimate goal!

Home Selling Trivia!

What is one of the most common
ways for making a home
more appealing to buyers?

Neutralizing dark or bold
colors makes it easier for
a buyer to visualize how
the home will look with
their possessions.

Your Home Staging Checklist

* Are all countertops clean and clear?
* Have you removed unnecessary furniture
throughout the house?
* Is the refrigerator free of children’s art and
magnets?
* Check the bathrooms
* Are the surfaces clean and clear?
* Are shower curtains clean and hung properly?
* Is the flooring clean and fresh?
* Are towels neatly hung?
* Check the walls
* Is paint and wallpaper fresh and clean?
* Are the walls free from cracks and holes?
* Is there anything on the walls that need to be
removed?
* Check the floors
* Is the carpet clean and free from stains?
* Are hard surface floors clean and free from
stains?
* Check the windows
* Are all the windows clean?
* Are draperies and blinds clean?
* Pet check
* Remove any signs that this is a pet’s home.
* Check the aroma
* Air out the home prior to showings.
* Set the mood prior to showings
* Open draperies and blinds.
* Turn on the radio to a soft music station, set
the volume low.
* If you have time, bake a batch of cookies or
muffins to create a warm, welcoming aroma

This means pricing it to the market, not what you think it’s worth and not what you necessarily owe on the home. Unless your home is situated in a subdivision or community where demand is currently high, you’re less likely to profit from your home the way sellers and many investors did during the housing boom.

You and your Real Estate Professional are making an educated guess on your home’s value by comparing similar properties, adjusting for the differences, and taking into account current or competing inventory on the market for sale. If you overprice your home, it will most certainly sit on the market creating a stigma among buyers and Real Estate Professionals.

The first thing I always suggest to sellers, and yes it will cost a little out of pocket money, is to get a qualified appraisal. The appraisal acts as more than a Comparative Market Analysis which I provide to my clients. It is also a negotiating tool that I have personally experienced to be more than useful in the heat of a negotiating battle. No matter what, if you have an interested buyer who has fallen in love with your home, they have a harder time arguing you down on price if you have an appraisal in hand.

Considering that we currently live in a Buyers’ market, make sure you price it right from the start.