Getting Your Home Ready to
Sell
You would never dream of
inviting guests to your house without making certain preparations, so don't
invite potential buyers without first making the necessary updates by preparing
your home to sell. If you are like most
sellers, you want to get as much as possible for your home and you want to do
it as quickly as possible.
Letting Go
After you've lived in a
house, it becomes much more than four walls and a ceiling. It's a home and it has a lot of good
memories. Your first step to preparing
your home to sell is to realize that you will take these memories with you
wherever you go, but you won't be taking the house. It can be difficult to let go, but the task
will be much easier if you start to think of it as a new beginning rather than
an ending.
Cleaning House
An important part of
getting your home ready to sell is in staging the decor for potential
buyers. When you stage a home, you
create an environment that is free of any personal items, such as photos and/or
anything that stands out as being customized for you or your family. When a potential buyer walks through your
home, they need to envision their belongings and decor without being distracted
by yours. While these items may be
special to you, they could possibly prevent the buyer from being able to
imagine their own style complimenting the home.
In addition to removing
any personal items, make sure that you remove any clutter from the home. A clean home seems larger and more inviting,
whereas a lot of stuff lying around could give the impression that the home is
too small or cramped for storage. Pack
up any knickknacks, remove your children's drawings from the refrigerator and
clean up your counter space in both the kitchen and bathrooms.
Staging Your Home
Now that your house is clean,
it's time to put the finishing touches on the staging process. A solid, neutral shade in a tablecloth should
be selected for the dining room table.
Depending on your decor and wall coloring, a solid white, sand or ivory
covering will work well. In the center
of the table, a vase with fresh cut flowers (or silk, if you have allergies)
will add a nice accent. Did you know
that the kitchen and bathroom are two of the main selling points to any home? Keep this in mind when preparing your home
for potential buyers.
The living room should
have one focal point, whether it be a fireplace or breathtaking view of the
outside world. If you have too many
features screaming out at potential buyers, they may feel overwhelmed, so focus
on one aspect and make it shine. If you
have a mantle, line it with three candles that match your decor in color. Place a large candle in the center with one
smaller one on each end, which will be reminiscent of a perfectly matched
bookend set. A home with a stunning view
should have window dressings that accent the positive, instead of hiding
it. If your furniture has a design of
any kind, mask it with a solid slipcover to compliment the flooring or wall
color. Some homeowners also add a fresh
coat of paint to their home, which will bring life back into a fading
color. Turn on the lights and open the
blinds and draperies to create a bright and inviting environment throughout
your home.
Where To Store Your Stuff
Now that you know how
important it is to remove any clutter and oversized or bulky furniture, you
need to know where to put it. If you
already have a new home, you can simply move it there. Otherwise, you can put it into storage until you
are ready to move. It's important to
leave some essentials in your former home for potential buyers to see, such as
a dining room table, a sofa and chairs, bed, etc. Any additional furnishings that seem to
interrupt the flow of your home, or make it feel cramped, should be removed. You do not want potential buyers to feel as though
the house is too small.
Details, Details, Details
. . .
As a final strategy to
prepare your home to sell, make sure that you have any carpet stains removed,
windows cleaned, fresh linens placed in the bedrooms and bathrooms, etc. You would be surprised how many people pay
attention to even the smallest of details, so be sure to fix any small repairs
that could be a turnoff for buyers. Last
but not least, make sure your home looks just as good on the outside as it does
on the inside. This means that your lawn
should be cared for, flower beds must be maintained and any outdoor clutter
must be removed.
