In my last two articles (you can find them on my website under the blog section), I wrote about getting your home ready to sell, and how to choose the right Realtor.
Now that you are ready to list your home, there is one very important step you need to take to make sure you not only list your home, but you sell it. That step is getting the house ready for showings.
Even though we are in a seller’s market, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do everything you can to make your home show at its best and stand out from other listings.
In a seller’s market, you may not want to do all the updating or remodeling you would if it were a buyer’s market. However, a few touch-ups and staging your home to look its best will help you sell and get the top price.
First impressions are everything, and buyers form an immediate opinion of your home within moments of entering, and sometimes, just based on curb appeal alone. If buyers don’t get excited when they walk in the front door, you may never get another chance to change their minds. That’s why home staging is so important to help you achieve a quick sale at the highest price.
There are staging companies that will stage anywhere from one room to the entire house, but these can be pretty expensive. In a lot of cases, the seller already has everything needed to stage the home. So, it’s just a matter of moving furniture around, placing items in different locations and putting some pieces in the garage or in storage.
Sellers can find it too hard to be objective when trying to stage their own home, as it’s filled with the emotions of living there and sentimental items. One of the complimentary services I offer all my clients is free home staging. As soon as I enter the home, I will go through each room, making notes of anything I think may distract from a potential sale and what enhancements can be made to highlight the home.
You will be amazed how different a home can look just by rearranging the existing furniture, moving pictures and reorganizing or adding a rug or other small items. I can bring a lot of my own staging items to the home to help make it stand out, all at no cost to my clients. If full home staging is needed, I work with an excellent home staging company, and can arrange a free consultation.
Here are just a few tips for getting your home ready to be listed:
1) Curb Appeal—First Impressions Count
Have all your shrubs and grass trimmed, adding new shrubs if needed. Weed and freshen up any bare areas of stone or groundcover. Add pots with flowering annuals to the entryway. Curb appeal really does make a difference, and it’s the very first impression the buyer will get when pulling up to your home.
2) Clean
Have your home cleaned from top to bottom, including baseboards, fans, light switches and door frames.
3) Painting
Touch up both the interior and exterior of the home, or have it repainted, if needed. If you have any colored walls, such as a lovely purple wall that matches your purple couch, have it repainted a neutral color. Stay away from white. You don’t want the home to look cold and sterile. Therefore, a nice off-white, beige or gray, which is the new white, can add warmth and style.
4) Declutter
It is a good rule of thumb to take down two-thirds of what you have out. You are going to be moving anyway, so use this as a great opportunity to start your packing early. Keep countertops clear, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. Reorganize your closets to make them appear larger. Pack away anything you are not going to be using in the next few months.
5) Open up the House, and Keep It Bright
Buyers don’t like to walk into a home that is dark and feels closed in. Make sure all the blinds are open and the lights are on. Turn on any accent lights, such as under the kitchen cabinets and side lamps. These not only make the home bright, but also add warmth.
6) Keep Out The Odors
Add a plug-in or oils to keep the home smelling nice, especially if you have pets. Put one at the entryway where the buyer first enters the home. Just make sure not to use too many, or the smell will be too strong.
7) Make Repairs
Go through the house and fix any little minor defects, such as loose door hardware and faucets. Replace any burned out light bulbs. Consider hiring a handyman to review the home and take care of any minor issues. After all, the buyer will be having the home inspected, so the more you do now, the better the inspection will be. If there is a major repair that needs to be done, discuss this with your Realtor before making the repair, as there may be other ways for you to take care of it.
If you are thinking of selling your home, please contact me to set up an appointment for a free complimentary home staging consultation. I use proven home staging techniques that will increase buyers’ interest in your home, generate more offers and get your home sold.
Lorraine Ryall has been a Multi-Million Dollar producer for the past nine years. If you are thinking of buying or selling, and you would like more information or a market analysis, please contact me at Lorraine@Homes2SellAZ.com, or call (602) 571-6799. Visit my website at Homes2SellAZ.com.