Time for a Change: 7 Helpful Steps to Prepare your Home for Sale
By: Joan Marsh Bunker HSE; Staged with Class
With the arrival of any new season, many of us pause and reflect upon our lives, and often decide that it is time to make a change. This change may include having to relocate or downsize, for various reasons, all of which will involve moving.
To prepare for an upcoming move, here are several steps to take now to aid in the process:
- De-clutter: Sort through all of your possessions and make a decision whether you should keep/sell/donate or discard. All personal photographs, hobbies, and any taste specific items should be stored away. Keep in mind that ‘less is more’ and think ‘quality vs. quantity’. Ask yourself – Does it enhance my life? Can I live without it? If it doesn’t have a function or a personal attachment, let it go. Be ruthless!
- Furniture: Excess furniture can be sold on Craigslist or donated. Too much furniture in a house makes it appear small and crowded and restricts traffic flow. If necessary, rent a storage unit to hold these items until you move. Of course, a new home is always a fun time to purchase new items for a fresh start.
- Paint: Absolutely the most bang for your buck! Fresh, neutral paint will make your home appear clean and up-to-date and appeal to even the most discriminating buyers.
- Repair: Tackle all those unfinished fix-up projects. A buyer will think the house has not been properly maintained, and put off making an offer, if there is too much work to be done.
- Clean: Give your home a thorough cleaning inside and out. Make it spotless! Kitchens and bathrooms definitely take priority. Don’t forget your closets, basement, and garage.
- Curb appeal: First impressions are so important! Look at your home through a buyer’s eye. Make sure that the paint and the roof are fine, and that dated bushes are not hiding your home – if so, trim or remove them. Focus on the entrance area – maybe go for a new door color, updated light fixture, pots of seasonal flowers, new doormat, etc. Make it welcoming!
- Ask for help: A third party can look at your property more objectively. A professional home stager can be contacted for an affordable consultation or actual hands-on staging. A home must look good in this competitive market, and especially in online pictures. An expert can make sure your home shows at its best. Your house is a product now, so try not to take any of the recommendations too personally. There is one common goal here – and that is to get it sold quickly – so you can make those needed changes, and move on with your life!
“When you’re through changing – you’re through.”
Bruce Barton
stagedwithclass 