Did you know that the way you live in your home and sell your home are two different things? Most sellers after signing the listing agreement ask the questions, “What do I do now?” I am a Realtor with an ASP designation, -Accredited Staging Professional that can help answer the question!
When you sell your home, you’re going to have to move, right? Staging a home to present it for sale in this competitive market isn’t hard to do if you apply the knowledge of the correct way to staging a home to sell. It is the most important step to get the most dollars in the quickest time possible. Here is some valuable tips:
-Stand in the doorway of each room and imagine what the buyer is seeing. Can you see the focal point and the purpose of the room. In my experience, buyers can only imagine what they see, not what the room could be.
-Declutter, depersonalized, and organize- What can you live without? It is a little bit of work, but your’re going to have to do it anyway. If a buyer walks into your home and sees your ancestry of pictures from the time Bubba was born to the day he married, they may not remember the beautiful wood floors and high ceilings. Buyers will open drawers and closets; it is a fact! If your closet is bulging at the seams, it is ok if you live there; but for the buyer, it says, “I need bigger closets. In the bathroom, leaving out every brand of shampoo and soap is clutter! This is where organization is the key. Invest in containers and neatly place all those items under the sink. In the kitchen, remove appliances off the counter that aren’t used on a daily basis. Too many houseplants can appear as clutter. If those beloved plants are on their last leg, remove them. Reduce or remove and box too many Collectables and books.
-Light and Bright! Replace all burned out light bulbs, and consider blubs with higher wattage in areas such as hallways or rooms with no natural light coming in. If you plan to freshen up the paint in the home – consider neutral colors. The day of showings, open window curtains and blinds.
-Be sensitive to Odors because buyers are! Excessive cooking or smoking odors, dog or cat odors, laundry and mildew odors will turn off buyers. You can’t Sell it if they Smell it!
-Furniture overload – Remember, you are moving! Too much furniture closes in the space giving the signal to the buyer that the room is too small.
-Repair items that are broken. This will show that your home is well taken care of. In many cases the buyer will ask for them to be repaired anyway!
-Curb Appeal-outside the home is the first impression. When a buyer drives up to a home, what do they see? Step across the street from the property and ask yourself, “what is the buyer seeing?” Take a look at the front door and trim. Give special attention to this because this is where the buyer will get their first opportunity to make a close inspection of your home. Repainting doors and trim to help make the house look crisp and in good condition is one the least expensive things you can do to dress up your home. Curb appeal is important. Has your landscaping overgrown the house? Remember, “You can’t sell it if you can’t see it! “Cut back all shrubs to window height that block light or view from windows. Don’t worry as to whether the landscape will bloom next year – you won’t be there!
The best example of a great staged home is new mobile homes on the lot. When I have taken a tour of these homes, I always leave with Aww and Wow! If your home was a product on a shelf in the supermarket among many brands, would it stand out? Would the customer come back to it and take another look.
These are just a few good tips in helping you sell your home for the most dollars in the quickest amount of time. I hope these tips answer your question on “what do I do now?”
The last advice, hire a professional Realtor with knowledge in staging and who offers professional photography. The first impression counts!
For a consultation or a copy of my staging checklist, contact me at 601-341-1285. Staging to sell is one of the services I provide free of charge to all my clients.