Top One Essential Fact You May Not Want to Hear
If you want to sell your home, there is something
important you’ll
have to keep in mind. Though this may be hard to hear, it must be said. It
doesn’t matter how lovely or comfortable your home is to you.
It only matters how appealing it is to the potential buyer. Everyone has
his or her own tastes and living habits. Staging is about creating a “stage” upon
which a potential buyer can easily imagine his or her own unique life being
comfortably lived. Top What Every Buyer Wants From Your House
Briefly, this means creating an appealing environment,
with enough neutral or blank space that potential buyers have room to
imagine themselves
living there. They need to envision their furnishings, their children,
their pets and themselves in that space. They want to imagine that
life in this house will be uncomplicated, nurturing, and relaxing.
If they can conjure up these images and sense themselves happy there,
you’re that much closer to a solid offer on your property. Staging does not involve remodeling your home. (See the “What
Pays” section of this website for information about whether major
improvements and remodeling will be of financial benefit for you.) A
fresh coat of paint does a lot to freshen up both the interior and exterior
of any home, and may well be recommended. But beyond that, there are
plenty of things you can do to make sure your home stands out among similarly
priced homes in your area. Some of these tips you may have heard elsewhere,
but there’s sure to be a few that are new, even surprising! Top Tips for Making Your Home Look More Spacious and Inviting Lights! Camera! Action!
You’ve no doubt noticed that professional photographers use auxiliary
lighting to enhance the photographic subject. A buyer’s mind is
like a camera, recording what is seen. Since the best pictures are made
in good light, make sure ALL of the lights are on whenever potential
buyers will be in your home. Put more floor or table lamps in rooms that
are dark or currently not well lit. From dawn to dusk, make sure curtains
are arranged to let in as much sunlight as possible. Light opens up a
room, making it look more inviting and spacious. You provide the lights,
the buyer provides the camera! This leads to good action on your listing! They’re Sniffing Around
for a Great Home and Listening for the Right Deal
The more one’s senses are favorably captured, the more “engaged” and
enlivened one feels. Many homeowners focus on how things look. And while
that’s important, why not go for more?! You might not be able to
have the smell of homemade bread or cookies wafting out of the kitchen
when each potential buyer arrives. However, there are lots of other things
you can do.
- Empty the garbage frequently, and always immediately prior
to a showing.
- Ventilate well when cooking and avoid cooking foods that cause lingering
odors. Run the garbage disposal for a minute before leaving the house.
- Don’t let the laundry pile up.
- Empty the litter box more frequently.
- Some realtors recommend using vanilla flavored
plug ins or filter type air fresheners. However, I have found that
many buyers have allergic
type reactions to the chemical smells in such fresheners. I recommend
throwing open the windows and doors for 15 minutes every day -
especially prior to a showing, whenever possible. Yes, even in cold
weather. Fresh
air is stimulating and refreshing. You want the buyers to feel
energized and good in your home’s environment.
Sound is another of those senses
that can easily be overlooked when marketing a home. Most potential
buyers prefer relatively quiet neighborhoods.
You can’t change the level of traffic noise, or stop the neighbors’ dog
from barking. But you can insure that the sound inside the house is soothing.
- Turn the radio or stereo to a soft jazz
or classical station, and turn the volume on loud enough to be heard
throughout as much of the house
as possible without being too loud in the room in which it originates.
Classical or soft jazz can add “dimension” and “warmth” to
rooms without the buyer even being aware that he or she is listening
to music. There’s a reason why department stores play music in
the background – people linger longer and buy more. It’s
subtle, simple, and yet immensely helpful.
- A small, portable water fountain enhances
tranquility in almost any room. Consider placing one in any room
that needs sound buffering. Make sure
it’s turned on prior to any showing.
- To minimize potential noise invasion, keep windows closed and locked
on the side of any room that abuts a noise factor.
Top The Single Most Important Step in Staging Any Home You’re going to be moving. And you’ll
be moving much sooner if you pack up before you even put your house
on the market! This is
the single greatest point I can make, and I’m going to be fierce
about it. I don’t mean that you have to move out of your home.
I mean clear out everything you don’t use regularly or won’t
need until after you’ve moved. Put it into storage, preferably
somewhere other than on the property you are trying to sell. You
may be moving because your family has outgrown the current house
and every corner and closet is bulging with stuff. You may be an “empty
nester” who has raised a family in that house and over the years
have accumulated all kinds of stuff. Remember, buyers are shopping for a lifestyle,
not just a house. They want to know that they’ll be comfortable
and happy in their new home. They want room to stretch out and breath.
No matter how inconvenient
it sounds, get rid of everything you can possibly do without while your
home is on the market. You are going to have to get rid of it or pack
it up when you move anyway. If you do it now, I can almost promise you,
your house will sell more readily. Here’s a great idea>>> There are storage companies that
will deliver a storage compartment to your driveway. You pack it with
everything you don’t need right now (clothing, furniture, games,
books, linens, whatever.) When you call the storage company, they come
pick up the storage unit and take it to their storage site. When your
new home is ready for you, you call the storage company and they deliver
the storage compartment to your new driveway. You unload it and call
them to take away the empty container. It’s a great service that
enables you to minimize your effort and maximize your home’s appeal. Whether you use such a storage service or not,
the goal is to make every inch of your home look like it takes no
effort to keep things tidy and
clean. You want to create the illusion that all one ever needs to do
in this home is relax and enjoy it! Isn’t that a fantasy we all
have? Top How Curb Appeal Can Expedite the Sales Process and Minimize
Repairs Very few people decide to buy a house without
looking inside. However,
many decide not to look inside if they don’t like what they see
from the street. So, curb appeal is essential. But,
beyond getting the potential buyer inside, there’s another
benefit to making sure your home’s exterior creates a great impression.
A positive reaction to the outside of your house predisposes the buyer
to like the inside! If the outside is clean, neat, well maintained and
attractive, the buyer enters with a positive feeling. If the outside
shows wear, is unkempt or unappealing, the buyer enters with reservations. I’m going to have my brother help me make this point. This is
an absolutely true story. My brother bought his house before he ever
stepped inside. Well, at least he bought it in his mind. When the Realtor
pulled to the curb in front of a house for sale in the Seattle area,
my brother said, “If this really is in my price range, get out
the paperwork, because I’m going to buy it.” And he did! Obviously, he loved the way the house looked
from the street! And, of course he would not have bought it had the
inside been a wreck. But,
certainly what he viewed on the outside made him more favorable to the
home. When this happens, potential buyers may even be willing to overlook
a few things inside that don’t necessarily fit their ideal image
and make you an offer. The attitude they’ve created from their
initial impressions may also result in a shorter list of requested repairs
after the inspection! So, here’s a few things to do to make sure you’re making
the most of your home’s curb appeal.
- Keep your lawn neat and well trimmed.
- Consider replanting or creating a flowerbed to enhance the appearance
of your yard. Place pots of cheerful flowers near the entrance.
- Make sure your front door is neat and clean.
Paint or varnish it if needed, or consider replacing it if it’s damaged or worn. Make sure the
hinges are squeak free and the door hangs correctly. If the locks don’t
work freely and easily, get them adjusted.
- Keep the entry steps and porch area swept and well lighted.
All the exterior items need to be in good repair.
- Check for flat fitting roof shingles.
- Clean the gutters and make sure they are hanging straight.
- Apply fresh paint where needed.
- Consider power washing the house if the paint is in good condition but
the house has accumulated dust or dirt.
- Sweep the decks and patio.
- Wash the interior and exterior of windows.
Top Staging Tips for Various Areas of Your Home Entry and Living Room Tips
Your home’s exterior creates the first impression. However, once
the front door to your home is opened, the buyers’ attention radically
shifts. There’s another “first” impression, and it
needs to spell welcome. It needs to beckon the buyer with the promise
of comfort and personal dignity. Make sure the entry way is well lit and clear of any obstruction. Consider
moving (storing) any shoe rack or coat rack you’ve been using,
to assure adequate openness at the entry.
The living room is often visable from the entry.
Unless you have a very high-end house, the living room needs to be
inviting
and
promise comfort, not
formality (even if you have a separate, casual family room.)
- Remove piles of magazines or books.
- This area needs to be free of children’s
toys and clothing.
- If at all possible, arrange the couch so it is facing the entrance
of the living room.
- If the room is crowded, remove any unessential furnishings.
- Keep the furniture dusted.
- Keep the drapes open so the room has as much natural light as possible.
- Keep the lamps lit, especially in any otherwise dim corners.
- Have some fresh flowers visible.
They’ll
Eat It Up! Kitchen Tips
The kitchen is a strategic selling point for
most buyers. You don’t
have to invest in a major remodel to make you kitchen more appealing.
However, you may have to put more effort into cleaning while your house
is on the market. Keep every inch of your kitchen squeaky clean, including
the hand towels! Remember, we’re staging a fantasy that impresses
the buyer with how easy life is in this home!
- Many buyers judge
the house maintenance by the house keeping and judge the house keeping
by the oven and stove. Appliances must be spotless.
- Floors need to be clean.
- Replace or repair anything that sticks, squeaks or drips.
- Remove everything (notes, art, photos) from
the exterior of the refrigerator door. Fridge door décor usually
adds more chaos than peace.
- Put into storage anything and everything that
is now in your cabinets that does not get used regularly. Cupboard
space sells! And they will
be looking inside your cupboards!
- Clear clutter from the countertops. This
goes beyond removing the telephone books and the stack of accumulated
mail. Remove any appliance you don’t
use everyday. Create spaciousness. Counter space sells!
After you’ve done this, ask yourself if there is anything that
can be done to “dress it up” and make it more appealing?
For example, is there room for an attractive bowl of fruit to be displayed?
Would a small flowering plant add the right touch of color? The Master Bedroom
This is often the second most important room to buyers (after the kitchen).
- Remove excess furniture to make it appear larger.
- If at all possible, arrange the bed so that,
if lying down, one would face the entrance to the room. (You’ll
be surprised at the result!)
- Clear away any non-essential items from bureau tops and bedside tables.
- Make sure the bed is made and the drapes are open.
- Buyers will look in your closets (but not
in your bureau drawers.) Clear out and pack away any clothes that
won’t be worn prior to your
move. The clothes that remain need to be neatly hung, with shoes neatly
arranged. Anything on shelves must be neatly folded or boxed. You want
to signal the buyer that there is plenty of room. Help them imagine how
easy it is to get access to what’s needed when rushing
to get ready for work in the morning.
- See “Bathroom” section, below,
for tips on preparing the master bathroom for showing.
Bedrooms
The kids’ rooms or secondary bedrooms can be spruced up too! Clear
clutter, and make sure beds are made prior to any showing of your home.
Teen bedrooms often need a little extra attention. Remove any posters
or artwork that may be offensive. Do your best to keep clothes and clutter
contained. Open the shades and windows. Often these rooms need a breath
of fresh air after teens have been “hiding out” in them for
a while. Buyers are surprisingly understanding about toys and clothes
out of place in kids’ rooms. However, they also like to imagine
that there is enough closet and storage space that their “little
Jimmy” could be neat if he wanted to be! Bathrooms
Make sure the bathrooms are squeaky clean and neat.
- Remove everything possible from counters
and from the shower/tub area. Bottles of shampoos, deodorant and
potions don’t make pleasant
decorations. Even though it’s inconvenient, store them out of sight.
- Make sure showers are free of scum and tile grout is in good condition.
Buyers will look inside the shower, even if the shower curtain is drawn
or the glass door is closed. Many buyers pay close attention to this.
- Keep the toilet seat lid closed. (No one ever opens it, and it looks
better down.)
- Make sure the ceiling fan works and doesn’t
rattle.
- Bring as much fresh air into the bathroom(s) as possible.
- Hang fresh towels before each showing.
- Is there room for a small spot of decoration? A small flowering plant
or single flower bud in a pretty vase does wonders for enhancing the
appearance of most bathrooms.
Home Office
Even the office needs to send a message of ease!
- Keep the desk top and all other surfaces as clear as possible.
- Tuck any cords, cables and wires out of site.
- Eliminate any piles of paperwork from floor, credenza, desk, and shelves.
- Straighten books, notebooks and items on shelving and in closets.
- If at all possible, arrange the desk so that it faces the entry to the
room.
- Keep the overhead and desk light on (even
when it’s day light).
- Keep the window curtains open from dawn to dusk.
- Because computers and other equipment often cause a low buzzing sound,
leave them off if possible.
- A small portable water fountain and a well-positioned
green plant can enhance the appeal of the home office – a space that might otherwise
scream “work”.
Basement
Even though the basement may be the designated storage area, clear out
as much clutter as possible. The buyers want to be able to see how
much space is available there, and to imagine how they might use it.
They may need to visualize a home office or gym in that space. If possible,
make the basement look more like a living area than a storage area.
Bring in a small sofa or loveseat, along with a coffee table, lamp
and small area rug. This gives the buyer a sense of what can be done
and is more inviting than stacks of boxes or cement walls. Make sure
the stairs are well lit and the railing is secure. Garage
If your home is marketed as a two car garage,
do your best to make sure two cars can park there. This often means clearing
out a lot of stuff.
If you’ve got bicycles, sports gear or gym equipment that is
being used regularly, you may not be willing to return the garage to
car park space. However, get rid of everything possible to make it
appear as spacious as possible. Make it possible for the buyer to easily
recognize how many cars it can hold. Most people have a desire to park
inside the garage, even if they never do! I love helping people maximize their home’s selling
potential. These ideas reflect my personal experience as well as time-honored
Realtor
tips. I would be happy to give you more information about how to stage
your home most optimally.
Give me a call today (503-319-4777)
or e-mail me at RealtorInquiry at AmoveInTheRightDirection dot com
I regret that in an effort to foil spammers, who have previously high-jacked my e-mail address, I have removed the automatic link to my e-mail. Please type the address, using the @ symbol to replace the word at, and use the period key to replace the word dot in the e-mail address above. Do not leave spaces. They are used here only to help you read the address.
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