If you have ever looked at homes for sale in person or online, you will know exactly what I am talking about in this article. It always amazes me why some sellers and just importantly their realtors will list their home with no effort to get it ready to sell. Buyers walk into these homes where the blinds are closed, there are no lights on and it’s dark and cold, or sweltering hot in the summer. Or it’s crammed full of the seller’s oversized furniture with personal items and nicknacks everywhere. As soon as a buyer walks through the door or even pulls up to the house, they have already got a negative impression.
I have only had an objection once from a seller when I offered to help organize and stage their home, which is a free service I offer to all my clients. The husband didn’t want me to touch anything; his argument was the buyers were coming to look at his house, not his things.
As I explained to him, most buyers are visual people and it’s what they see that makes the difference as well as how they feel when they first step into the home. If it’s light and bright, feels spacious and open as they walk through the front door, they are already getting a good feeling for the home versus opening the door into a dark and dingy closedin space. If the rooms feel spacious and there are not a lot of the homeowner’s personal items everywhere, they can visualize where they would put their furniture and start to connect with the home.
It’s like when you walk into a model home, even if you don’t like the floorplan, chances are you will always love the home because of how it is decorated and presented. You can have the exact same home and a buyer will pay thousands more for the home that has been prepared and staged for sale and it will sell a lot faster instead of sitting on the market getting price reductions.
It can be overwhelming to get your home ready, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are five steps to take to get your home prepared to sell.
1. MEET WITH A TOP LOCAL REALTOR
Find a top local Realtor who specializes in preparing a home for sale. There are plenty of Realtors out there who will just take the photos and list your home as it is. Choose a Realtor who will help you prepare your home and stage it to sell. They will also have all the contacts for anything you need help with.
2. SHOULD YOU DO ANY UPGRADES BEFORE YOU LIST YOUR HOME?
This is one of the top questions I am asked when I meet homeowners for the first time and the answer depends on so many factors. For example, how quickly do you want to sell? Do you want a fair price for your home or the highest price you can get? We will discuss which upgrades give you the best bang for your buck and can recoup the investment from the sale.
Sometimes upgrades are not the way to go but freshening the home up with new paint, changing out some old light fixtures, and staging the home can make all the difference.
3. PAINT, CLEAN, AND REPAIR
I think the best money spent is on deep cleaning, repair of small items, and fresh paint if needed. Just cleaning and changing the color can really transform a home from a dated, dark, or unkept house to a warm and inviting home. A deep clean will get the baseboards, door handles, light switches, fans, and all the little areas you may not have noticed but a buyer will. Have a handyman come out to do minor repairs and cosmetic touch-ups. I have an awesome handyman so please contact me if you need help with repairs.
4. GETTING YOUR HOME ORGANIZED
Buyers want as much space as they can afford, whether it’s living space or storage space. Decluttering opens your home and will make it look and feel more spacious. A well-organized home lets the buyer see the space it has to offer without trying to look past all the clutter.
5. CURB APPEAL — THE FIRST IMPRESSION IS THE ONLY IMPRESSION
No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It is important to make people feel warm and welcome as they approach the house. Spruce up your home’s exterior with inexpensive shrubs and a freshly manicured landscape.
If you are thinking of selling and want to know how much your home is worth, whether you should do any upgrades, which minor repairs you should do before listing or need help staging your home, please contact me directly to set up a free no obligation consultation. I’d love to help you!
Lorraine is a Multi-Million Dollar producing agent, has been a full-time Realtor for over 14 years, is an Associate Broker of KOR Properties, a Certified Negotiation Specialist, and is on the Professional Standards Board. You can reach Lorraine at (602) 571-6799.