So you have decided to sell. That’s a great first step! Now that you are ready, it’s time to get your property ready. There are numerous easy ways to prepare your property for sale. Most things are free but there are a few inexpensive ways to spruce the property up and increase the value as well.
Step 1: Clear Out the Clutter! We have collections of stuff but there are always things you don’t need or won’t be taking with you when you move. The best time to sort through your stuff is before you put the property on the market. Some owners have rooms and closets and garages filled to the brim, others may only have a junk drawer or two. Clutter can detract from your property as well as impede its sale. Whether you have a ton to clean out or a little, start now. A great way to organize and clean out is to make piles or areas… “keep”, “toss”, and “donate”. Do one thing at a time so you don’t create overwhelming chaos.
Step 2: Get organized! The best way to present your property, rooms, cabinets, and closets is to have them organized. Overstuffed closets and chaos detract from how buyers see your property. Tidy up your closets. Put things you don’t use frequently in bins or boxes or, better yet, pack them up for the impending move. A messy or disorganized home detracts from the function and beauty of your property attributes.
Step 3: Clean it UP! Super clean your home… pull out the couch to vacuum behind it, clean out under the bed, scrub your floors, wipe down your cabinets. If you do a detailed clean right before you list your property it will be easier to spruce up for a showing. Before each showing, tidy up, vacuum, make the beds, get the dishes out of the sink and put the toilet seat covers down. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
Step 4: Spruce it Up! You can go big or small with this one. A new welcome mat, fresh pillows, a new shower curtain, attractive bedding, and a coat of paint can make a world of difference. Most of these items are fairly inexpensive and present your property in the best light. When you paint, choose calm, quite colors like white, beige, soft yellow, and sage. Most buyers these days don’t want to fix up a home, they want to move right in. Painting, more often than not, will help your property sell more quickly and for more money.
Step 5: Edit, Prep It and Stage it! Most people think staging means spending money and while it can, it doesn’t have to. Staging can be as simple as editing and prepping each room. To edit, stand where a buyer would stand when entering your property and also in the entry to each room, look for things that detract or stand out. Is there a piece of furniture that’s too big in an odd place? Move it somewhere else more flattering. Are there too many decorations over the fireplace? Pare it down. Do you have lots of bowls, jugs and miscellaneous items on top of the countertops or cabinets? Whenever possible, put things in cabinets or drawers. Empty space is more attractive to a buyer than a filled one. Editing allows buyers to imagine their own belongings in your house. Keep a few things out on countertops, shelves, and display areas a try to group the items in threes, for some reason this is always more attractive. [I actually could write an entire blog on the editing, prepping, and staging, so watch for that soon.]
Step 6: Sell it and Celebrate! Once you have your home looking like a house for sale, put it on the market and watch it sell!
I am happy to assist you as you get started and I truly hope these ideas and suggestions help you get ready to sell your property.
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