Here are a five things you can do before you put your home on the market to help your agent sell your home more quickly for the best possible price:
1. Look at your home with fresh eyes. Everyone has spent a bit of time in a retail store whether it be Crate and Barrel, Ikea, The Gap, Anthropologie, JCrew, or Target. The stores are clean, well organized, and inviting. Retailers set up their stores in this manner for a reason. People are more comfortable and more willing to purchase items in a comfortable, clean and well organized setting. While none of us live in a storefront, we want to do the best we can to make our homes as tidy, organized and appealing as possible to ensure that buyers are comfortable with purchasing your home.
2. Curb appeal. Most of us have heard about curb appeal, and I would like to extend it to yard appeal. Just as you will need to tidy up your home prior to placing it on the market, it is also important for your front and back yard to be as clean an inviting as possible. Trim your bushes, mow your lawn, plant new flowers, or hire a professional landscaper to help you out. If you need a referral, please give me a call! Make sure all of your outdoor "toys" are picked up and put away, so that the Buyers can imagine themselves at the home. If you have a pet who uses your yard as a toilet, it would be a good idea to start watering your yard heavily and taking your pet for walks instead for a few weeks prior to beginning to show the home. Smells matter, and you want every part of your home to appeal to potential buyers.
3. It's time to purge. When you are getting ready to move, it's a perfect time to get rid of the items you have around your home that you haven't used in a year (or a decade). Of course, it's fine to keep sentimental items, but if you cannot find a place in your home to keep them in a way that they appear tidy and organized, it would be a good idea to put them in storage and unpack them in your new home. Buyers are nosey and they notice. They will likely open your refrigerator, your cupboards, your closets and your kitchen drawers. When you're ready to make a move, focus on one room or even one section of a room each day until the entire home is well-organized. If organization is not your forte, I know of several companies that will help you to organize your belongings! Just give me a call!
4. Depersonalize. You have an adorable family. You have fabulous, unique style. Your furnishings are sentimental. Don't take offense if your realtor suggests that you make some changes to your decor that will help the average person to envision herself in your home. Typical things I ask my clients to do are: remove family photographs, clear piles and stacks leaving only a very few items on shelves, counters, and tabletops. Purchase white bath towels and accessories that will feel clean and new to Buyers when they walk through the home.
5. Clean EVERYTHING. In addition to kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms, refrigerator, all windows, doors, drawers and cupboards should be cleaned. No one wants to purchase someone else's dirt and grime. Improve your chances of selling your home by hiring professional house cleaners or by "detailing" your entire home. Trust me, Buyers will notice and appreciate your efforts with their offers to purchase your home. Don't forget to clean your carpets, walls and tile. A clean home smells inviting, avoid using air fresheners, in fact, chemical smells often turn Buyers away.
