Package Your Home for Profit
People will faithfully follow all the ups and downs of the stock market, moving money from here to there to get the most value. Yet, when preparing to sell their home, perhaps their largest investment, they simply open the door and expect a buyer to walk in, look around, and hand over the full asking price.
A few initial steps taken to prepare your home for market can pay huge dividends. The first step, of course, is a thorough cleaning. A recent client said she had flown in to town and toured over 20 houses in two days. The major selling point of the home she purchased was that it was ‘so clean.’
Creating curb appeal can also ensure a potential buyer will take the time to view your ‘product’ – much like shelf packaging for any merchandise. If it isn’t inviting, they probably won’t get out of the car for a further look. Spruce up the landscaping by removing and replacing any overgrown plants. Add color with inexpensive potted plants. Remove screens from windows and doors. If needed paint or replace the entry door. Make certain your house number is highly visible. A buyer frustrated from trying to locate your home will be looking for other potential problems. Windows must sparkle. What is seen through the large picture window? Often, an inviting lighted scene will draw in that potential buyer. Leave those lights on during the day ready for any showings.
Enter the front door and what do you see? Clutter? Family photos? A mirror reflecting your face? Closed doors going off several directions? This is the exact moment a potential buyer begins imaging himself living here. Don’t distract him with reminders that it is presently your home.
Think of ‘packaging’ your product. Furniture can be arranged to emphasize key architectural elements and detract from any problems. You will make all appropriate declarations in the paperwork, but you don’t have to hit potential buyers in the face with all the little quirks. Turn that awkward under-the-stair area into a miniature library with a comfortable chair and throw. If the adjacent house looms through a window, create a focal point in another direction. Don’t close the blinds. You want to lighten rooms as much as possible.
Area rugs are great at disguising questionable colored or worn carpeting. Up lights can brighten a dark corner. Green plants add color and energy to a room and a $150 palm is an inexpensive alternative to a $2500 armoire to balance the height of windows or a fireplace.
People will open cabinets and closet doors. You want to give the impression of limitless storage space. Pack up all out of season clothes, sports equipment, and bedding and move to off-site storage. A $70 storage off-site unit rental is a wise investment to make your home look open, uncluttered, and spacious. Remove extra furniture pieces, and take down most of the artwork. Your favorite artist could be a potential buyer’s least favorite. All they may remember of your home is that ‘ugly painting.’
Enlist your children’s cooperation. Posters should come off walls; bureau top collections can be contained in decorative boxes. Let children pick a few favorite toys and pack away the remainder to reopen in their new home. Those small bedrooms will appear more spacious, and seeing old ‘friends’ again can soften the adjustment to a new environment.
Special attention must be given to the master suite. All cosmetics and clutter must be removed from table and bureau tops. Invest in luxurious linens. Lighten the window treatment. Remove any small rugs and seat covers from the bath areas. Purchase a set of elegant bath towels and display them each day. You may have to launder every-day linens more often, but only for a short time if your home is showing well.
Kitchen counters should be free of appliances and cookware. Pack away seldom used pieces to make cabinet space for small appliances and other frequently used items. A working island should be ‘tablescaped’ with pottery and greenery. A bowl of fresh fruit always looks inviting (green apples, limes, or lemons last longer). Refrigerators should be clear of magnets, photos, and family artwork. Each morning run a polishing cloth over any reflective surfaces. Put all food dishes in the dishwasher and run it daily.
Now that you’ve removed clutter, cleaned, and properly arranged your furniture, it’s time to fix all those annoying little leaks, squeaks, and scratches. Make a list and hire a handyman for a day. If there is something like a leaky showerhead that you have been meaning to fix, a buyer will find it. That signals careless maintenance and will generate a lower offer. This is a good time to invite a friend or acquaintance over to check for any pet or other odors and correct any thing they find. An unpleasant odor will quickly undo any favorable impression.
Finally, step out the back door and look around. Clear the side yard of any clutter and wind the garden hose. Take down and store play sets and polish or remove portable grills. If shade is needed, purchase a patio umbrella. Potted plants are an easy way to add color.
Buyers will compare your home to comparable models in the area. Clean up, fix up, lighten up, and bring in fresh greenery to ensure the best marketing advantage for your home. Some temporary discomforts during the selling period can potentially pay huge dividends.
Contact us by e-mail at: residentialtransitions@yahoo.com
A few initial steps taken to prepare your home for market can pay huge dividends. The first step, of course, is a thorough cleaning. A recent client said she had flown in to town and toured over 20 houses in two days. The major selling point of the home she purchased was that it was ‘so clean.’
Creating curb appeal can also ensure a potential buyer will take the time to view your ‘product’ – much like shelf packaging for any merchandise. If it isn’t inviting, they probably won’t get out of the car for a further look. Spruce up the landscaping by removing and replacing any overgrown plants. Add color with inexpensive potted plants. Remove screens from windows and doors. If needed paint or replace the entry door. Make certain your house number is highly visible. A buyer frustrated from trying to locate your home will be looking for other potential problems. Windows must sparkle. What is seen through the large picture window? Often, an inviting lighted scene will draw in that potential buyer. Leave those lights on during the day ready for any showings.
Enter the front door and what do you see? Clutter? Family photos? A mirror reflecting your face? Closed doors going off several directions? This is the exact moment a potential buyer begins imaging himself living here. Don’t distract him with reminders that it is presently your home.
Think of ‘packaging’ your product. Furniture can be arranged to emphasize key architectural elements and detract from any problems. You will make all appropriate declarations in the paperwork, but you don’t have to hit potential buyers in the face with all the little quirks. Turn that awkward under-the-stair area into a miniature library with a comfortable chair and throw. If the adjacent house looms through a window, create a focal point in another direction. Don’t close the blinds. You want to lighten rooms as much as possible.
Area rugs are great at disguising questionable colored or worn carpeting. Up lights can brighten a dark corner. Green plants add color and energy to a room and a $150 palm is an inexpensive alternative to a $2500 armoire to balance the height of windows or a fireplace.
People will open cabinets and closet doors. You want to give the impression of limitless storage space. Pack up all out of season clothes, sports equipment, and bedding and move to off-site storage. A $70 storage off-site unit rental is a wise investment to make your home look open, uncluttered, and spacious. Remove extra furniture pieces, and take down most of the artwork. Your favorite artist could be a potential buyer’s least favorite. All they may remember of your home is that ‘ugly painting.’
Enlist your children’s cooperation. Posters should come off walls; bureau top collections can be contained in decorative boxes. Let children pick a few favorite toys and pack away the remainder to reopen in their new home. Those small bedrooms will appear more spacious, and seeing old ‘friends’ again can soften the adjustment to a new environment.
Special attention must be given to the master suite. All cosmetics and clutter must be removed from table and bureau tops. Invest in luxurious linens. Lighten the window treatment. Remove any small rugs and seat covers from the bath areas. Purchase a set of elegant bath towels and display them each day. You may have to launder every-day linens more often, but only for a short time if your home is showing well.
Kitchen counters should be free of appliances and cookware. Pack away seldom used pieces to make cabinet space for small appliances and other frequently used items. A working island should be ‘tablescaped’ with pottery and greenery. A bowl of fresh fruit always looks inviting (green apples, limes, or lemons last longer). Refrigerators should be clear of magnets, photos, and family artwork. Each morning run a polishing cloth over any reflective surfaces. Put all food dishes in the dishwasher and run it daily.
Now that you’ve removed clutter, cleaned, and properly arranged your furniture, it’s time to fix all those annoying little leaks, squeaks, and scratches. Make a list and hire a handyman for a day. If there is something like a leaky showerhead that you have been meaning to fix, a buyer will find it. That signals careless maintenance and will generate a lower offer. This is a good time to invite a friend or acquaintance over to check for any pet or other odors and correct any thing they find. An unpleasant odor will quickly undo any favorable impression.
Finally, step out the back door and look around. Clear the side yard of any clutter and wind the garden hose. Take down and store play sets and polish or remove portable grills. If shade is needed, purchase a patio umbrella. Potted plants are an easy way to add color.
Buyers will compare your home to comparable models in the area. Clean up, fix up, lighten up, and bring in fresh greenery to ensure the best marketing advantage for your home. Some temporary discomforts during the selling period can potentially pay huge dividends.
Contact us by e-mail at: residentialtransitions@yahoo.com