Lorraine Ryall
In my last two articles (you can find them on my website under the blog section) I wrote about what upgrades get you the best bang for your buck and how to choose the right Realtor to list your home.
After you have made improvements and picked the best Realtor, 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.
This can be one of the hardest steps in the selling process. Sellers can find it difficult to be objective when trying to stage their own home as it is filled with the emotions of living there and sentimental items.
You need a fresh pair of eyes to walk through your home and see it through the eyes of a buyer. One of the complimentary services I offer my clients is free home staging. I will be seeing your home for the first time and can see what stands out and what can be enhanced to show your home at its best. You will be amazed how different a home can look by just rearranging the existing furniture, moving pictures, reorganizing or adding a rug or other small items.
First Impressions
First impressions are everything, and buyers form an immediate opinion of your home within moments of entering. Sometimes an opinion is based on curb appeal alone. If a buyer doesn’t get excited when walking in the front door, you may never get another chance to change his mind.
Staging doesn’t have to be expensive. Most of the time the seller has everything already, it’s just a matter of moving furniture around, placing items in different locations and putting some pieces in the garage or in storage.
Here are just a few tips for getting your home ready to be listed:
Curb Appeal—First Impressions Count
Have all your shrubs and grass trimmed, and add 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. It’s the very first impression the buyer will get upon pulling up to your home.
Clean
Have your home cleaned from top to bottom, including baseboards, fans, light switches and doorframes. Have your carpets professionally cleaned, too.
Painting
Touch up both the interior and exterior of the home or have it repainted. If you have any colored walls, such as a lovely purple wall, which 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. A nice beige or gray, which is the new white, can add warmth and style.
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.
The kitchen—This is the best room to declutter, as it is one of the top rooms to make the buying decision. You want to show off how much workspace there is and how much storage it has. Put away any small appliances, such as coffee makers, toaster ovens, etc. Arrange your cabinets and drawers so it all looks neat and organized, with plenty of room.
Go through your pantry and pack away any non-perishable goods you won’t use in the next few months. Neatly stack what is left, and turn all the labels facing out. Trust me, buyers will open cupboard doors and drawers to see inside, especially in the kitchen.
Closets—You want your closet to look like there is plenty of room for all the buyer’s clothes. Pack away any clothes and shoes you don’t need, leaving some open space on the shelves and on the rails. Organize your closets so everything is neatly folded, hung or stacked.
Open up the House and Keep It Bright
Buyers don’t like to walk into a dark home that 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.
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.
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 a major repair is needed, discuss this with your Realtor before making the repair.
Please contact me if you would like a free home staging consultation or a free home valuation to determine the current market value of your home.
Lorraine Ryall has been a Multi-Million Dollar producer for the past nine years. You can reach Lorraine at (602) 571-6799. You also can send her an email at Lorraine@Homes2SellAZ.com, or visit her website at Homes2SellAZ.com.