OK, let’s take a step back and breathe. 

First, declutter. Start room by room. Go outside your home and come in through the front door with the eyes of the buyer. What do you see? Go through each room packing up items you want to keep and are not using at this season. I instruct my clients to get colored construction paper and label each color. Let’s say blue represents the master bedroom, pink is the living room, yellow is the kitchen, etc. You get the point. Then when you move, the movers/helpers know which room to put that box in. If you put them in storage, you will know where all the kitchen boxes are. 

If you are moving in the next few months, stack boxes neatly in your garage. If you don’t have a garage, you can rent a storage unit or pod. Next, get rid of all items you have not used in the past year. Go through each room labeling items to remove. If you have too much furniture in the living room, reduce it down to three or four chairs/recliners. Make the rooms look spacious. Remove pictures on the walls—buyers want to imagine their photos on the walls, not yours. Just because you have gotten used to the cracks in the walls and the rattles in the radiators does not mean a buyer will too. If you have hardwood floors that need refinishing, be sure to get it done. Hardwood is a huge selling point. Finally, do not forget to address any issues with the exterior—fences, shingles, sidewalks, gutters and downspouts, wash/paint home’s exterior, clean windows inside and out, remove all yard clutter, etc. Without curb appeal, some buyers may never get to see the inside. If possible, do a home inspection before you put it up for sale. Fix it now or fix it after their home inspection.

Neutralize. You want buyers to see themselves in your home. If your living room has lime green shag, wood-paneled walls, and all your collectibles and personal photographs, this will make it much harder for them to do. Try replacing any bold color choices on your floors and walls with something more neutral—beiges, tans, greys, and soft whites. Repainting and reflooring will make everything look fresh and new, and help prospective buyers imagine all the possibilities.

Stage. Once your house is clean and updated, it is time to play dress up. Home stagers can add intricate details and décor touches that will bring out the possibilities in the various spaces in your home: lamps, mirrors, throw rugs and pillows, flowers, decorative soaps and towels, patio furniture, etc. Home staging can be particularly useful if your home is especially old or if the exterior looks dated. Think of it as a little mascara and rouge—if it is done right, you notice the beauty, not the makeup.

Selling your home doesn’t just mean hiring a realtor to stick a sign out front. There are a lot of preparations you can make to ensure you get the best offer possible in the shortest time.

If you have a specific question you would like answered, I will do my best to help. Contact me at [email protected].