Inventory of available homes is dramatically increasing. I want to share some tips on what sellers can do to help their home appeal to buyers! When you put your home on the market, you are entering into a price war and beauty contest! Let’s focus on the top objectives to concentrate on when preparing your home for a showing!
Great, what’s number one?
Without a doubt, curb appeal. It’s the first thing buyers see on the internet, and when they pull up to the house. Buyers will decide to see your home or rule it out based on that first impression. Cleaning the yard, fresh paint on the trim, making it inviting, is vital.
I can understand that. What can you advise about the interior?
When a buyer is going to look at your home, they’re not trying to view it as your home, but instead to imagine themselves living there. Remove excessive personal belongings and clutter. Focus on the primary areas such as the kitchen, living room, and owner’s suite. These are the areas that cause a buyer to fall in love with your home! There’s always a balance between living in a home and having it ready to show. Too many personal photos can be overwhelming, but a few family photos strategically placed can show that this is a happy home for a happy family! A common mistake we see is a house looks amazing, and then you open a closet and it’s like an old sitcom scene with things flying out and hitting you in the head.
Anything else that comes to mind?
Our clients often ask us to give staging ideas, which we’re happy to do. There are professional stagers that may charge up to a few thousand dollars. One of the benefits we offer our sellers is that we have partnered with a fabulous stager who will come into your home for a nominal fee for 3 hours and work with you to help rearrange and regroup your existing furnishings and décor! This will help maximize the show-ability and sale-ability of your home, giving you the best chance of winning the home beauty contest!
