In our current real estate market many people are finding it difficult to sell their homes, and it is becoming increasingly common to see houses sit on the market for months on end. So what can you do to give yourself an advantage over the competition? Here are a few do-it-yourself tips that I always start with when assisting my clients in staging their homes for sale. I suggest reading the list carefully then walking through your home, room by room, with a notebook and creating a punch list based on the strategies below.
1. De-clutter: Clean it up! This might sound like common knowledge but nobody wants to walk into their future home and see piles and stacks and mounds of stuff everywhere. This is the time to recycle all of your old magazines, find bins for the children's toys and clean up your overstocked garage. I recommend walking into every room and taking notes about what you can remove to allow the room to breathe a little more.
2. De-Personalize: You do not have to remove all of your family photos but you might want to rethink anything that could distract a possible buyer from the features that make your home special. It is important to remember that when a future owner walks into a home they want to be able to envision themselves in the space not become familiar with who you are.
3. Create a Welcoming Front Door and Entry Way: First impressions, first impressions, first impressions! Here are a few easy things you can do to up your impression:
- Freshen up front door paint with a strong yet traditional color (black, red, white, navy always look great)
- Add shutters to unadorned windows
- Try changing out your old door knocker and house numbers for an updated version
- Place a pot or beautiful urn of flowering plants on your front porch
- Buy a new door mat to welcome your visitors
- If you have ample room in your entry, add a bench with a few pretty pillows to create a proper place to sit or consider a small table with a bouquet of fresh flowers
- Bedrooms: I recommend investing in bed linens & pillows in a neutral or timeless palette and adding headboards, side tables & lamps to any beds that don't have them.
- Bathrooms: It is important to hang fresh towels (and possibly a new, cheerful shower curtain) and make the tub, toilet and sink sparkle. Keep the counter top clean and free of clutter. No extra bottles, brushes or baskets. Keep things tidy with a simple hand towel and a pretty bottle of hand soap.
- Kitchens: I follow the same rules as above, but allow a few extra touches like a bowl of green apples or lemons placed neatly on an island or kitchen table or a great cookbook set on a stand by the stove.
- Living rooms and Family rooms: Embrace timeless seating arrangements that show the conversation opportunities within the room (i.e.: a sofa, pair of chairs and an ottoman or coffee table). Again, take the time to look at the details. If you need to update your pillows and add a soft throw rug then this is the time to do it! These kinds of touches are like suggestive marketing, they allow the prospective buyers to imagine themselves in the space.
*photography via 4salebyowner
