When it is time to sell your home – our goal as your agent, is to sell it as quickly as possible and at the highest price possible. We have some tips on getting your home ready to sell to help make it the most appealing to prospective buyers!
STEP # 1 – Take a Tour!
Remember how you feel when you walk into a model home? A home that is completely clean, uncluttered and creates a sense that there is absolutely no work to be done. That is exactly the look and feeling you want to create in the buyer’s mind about your home.
Begin by driving up to the house, walking up to the front door, into the entryway, and then to each and every room and area of your property. Look at each room and area of your home through “a buyer’s eyes”. With notepad in hand, critique each area with an objective and realistic approach, imagining that you are the buyer and this is your first glimpse of the home. What are your feelings, your first impressions of each area? Do you feel comfortable in the house? Examine why you do, or do not. Your goal is to make their first impression be a positive and lasting one! You want buyers to feel an emotional sense of being at home in your house!
STEP #2 – Clear away that clutter!
The most important step in getting your home ready to sell is to get rid of the clutter! Your goal is to create a roomy, comfortable feeling that is inviting to prospective buyers. You want buyers to look at your house, not your stuff. Uncluttering makes every room in your house look and feel more spacious, making buyers feel that they are getting more space for their money. And they will feel that by living in your house, they can be well organized too.
Not only will removing the clutter from your home serve to make your home more appealing to prospective buyers, it will make your life less stressful and help prepare for a smoother move to your new place! It will take some time, and some hard work…but, the results will be worth it. Your goal is to reduce your belongings down to the basics you will need before your move. Don’t expect to do it all in one day. Maybe you could set a goal to unclutter and organize one room each weekend until you are clutter free and ultra organized! And that’s a great feeling! So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get started!
A Place for Everything, and Everything in it’s Place! And remember… KEEP OUT ONLY THE BASICS!
You will need to go through every room, every closet, every cabinet and every drawer. First of all choose which room you will start with. Experts always say, start with the most difficult area first. When you decide the area, you will need five boxes or containers – one each for “sell it”, “store it”, “give it away”, “toss it” and “put it back where it belongs”. If you are not sure whether to keep it out or store it, ask yourself if you are going to need it before you move.
CLOSETS
Closets are known to be the place we throw things when we don’t know where to put them, or don’t take the time to put them where they actually belong…therefore they tend to be our biggest challenge.
* Start with what I call “aggressive purging” – getting rid of absolutely everything you can. If you didn’t wear it last season, you probably won’t next. Ask yourself if you would pay money to keep it. Get rid of everything that is worn looking, broken, uncomfortable, doesn’t fit, or those “what was I thinking when I bought this” items.
* Store away and label accordingly those clothing items and shoes which you have decided to keep, but are not in season at this time.
* Before placing your “keep” items back into the closet – now is a great time to put a fresh coat of paint on the walls in the closet.
* Now you are ready to place the items back into the closet neatly organized, hung up, folded and boxed in see-thru labeled storage boxes.
* Use a shoe organizing system, racks or boxes.
* Hang your clothing in groups (by color, dresses, skirts, pants) and all facing in the same direction.
* Stack your games and puzzles with largest boxes on bottom and the fronts flush to create an orderly appearance.
* Leave some room in your closet, they look most appealing when there is space to add more rather than being jammed to capacity.
CABINETS AND DRAWERS
* Take everything out and sort through using the five box method…sell, store, give, toss or put it back.
* Get rid of all cookware, dishware, gadgets that you don’t actually use or those that are broken, chipped or non-working.
* Wipe out all cabinets and drawers and place shelf liner (the self-adhesive kind is more expensive & time consuming)
* When you place spices, seasonings and food items back into the pantry – make sure all labels are facing front.
* Make your counter tops look more roomy and efficient…put away small appliances, cookbooks, cooking utensils, etc.
* Group like items together (baking, serving, preparing).
* Plastic storage containers are great for storing small items.
* Purchase a new silverware organizer if yours is showing wear.
* Clean off the counters in your baths also and put away all personal care items.
AROUND THE HOUSE
* Dispose of any unhealthy looking plants
* Remove children’s art, photos, magnets etc. from refrigerator
* If your bookcases are much too crowded, pack away most of them – especially the worn out paperbacks.
* Sort through children’s play areas and box up extra toys and recycle or sell old ones.
* Remove all papers and magazines from dressers, coffee and end tables.
* Too much furniture or accessories in a room make it seem small and confining – store or get rid of extra pieces.
AROUND THE YARD
* Clear the yard, curb and entry way of any debris or litter.
* Organize tools and garden equipment. Coil hoses neatly.
* Trim bushes and shrubs.
* Remove and replace any dead or dying plants, trees and shrubs.
* Clear away toys, bikes.
Next time…STEP # 3 – We will CLEAN IT UP!
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