The front door swings open….do you hear Michael Buble crooning “I’m coming Home” or is “We got a get out of this place” pounding in your head?….
Preparing your home for sale is like selling a lifestyle…. We need to create a mood….use all of our senses….become one with the home….yes, we need to fall in love with the house. But how do we make that happen? There are several key elements that every Seller must do before he begins marketing his home.
- De-clutter and clean. No one wants to walk into a home and look at other people’s trash, dirty clothes, dirty dishes. I can not stress enough how important it is to remove all your trinkets, papers, toys….Remove everything from your kitchen and bathroom countertops….Remember, we are selling the space, not your stuff…
- De-personalize. You may have the cutest kids on the block or have had the most beautiful wedding….but this isn’t the time or the place for family photos. They need to be taken down and stored until you move into your new home.
- Neutralize. Colors play on our emotions and affect our senses….and some colors can be very personal….When selling your home, you need to appeal to the vast majority of people so it is important that if your home is painted some bright color, like lime green or fuschia, you must tone down the wall color….Neutral does not mean beige. Greens, browns, tans, taupes, even some yellows are considered neutrals. The key to wall color is to make it flow from room to room. If you are uncomfortable in selecting new wall colors, simply ask your Realtor. They are knowledgeable and know what colors work.
- Furniture placement. Sometimes the only difference between a room and a “wow” room is furniture placement. The biggest mistake that homeowners make is either using furniture that is out of scale for the room or simply just lining the furniture up against a wall. Don’t be afraid to pull the furniture into the middle of the room and create little vignettes within rooms. If your furniture is tired and worn, you must replace it. There are wonderful furniture rental stores that are very reasonable in price or perhaps you have friends or family who might loan you some furniture pieces.
- Final Touches. Think of this as the jewelry to finish off a great outfit…or the icing on a cake….It is these finishing touches that can wow the potential Buyer into writing an offer. Think about our senses…sight, smell, touch… use beautiful fabrics across the arm of a chair to encourage the Buyer to touch…light the fireplace to create a sense of romance….place fresh flowers throughout the room…turn on all the lights…turn the air conditioner on to make the room a comfortable temperature.
- Let there be light. Light is energy and homebuyer’s crave it. Open all your drapes and blinds each day before leaving the house. If you have lamps, turn them all on to create an ambiance throughout the home. Let the sunshine in!
I know this may seem like a lot of extra work, but it truly will pay off. Your home will sell for more money and faster if you implement these tips.
Best of Luck!
