Preparing your House for the Market

Did you know well-placed furniture can open up rooms and make them seem larger than they are? Or that opening drapes and blinds and turning on all lights make a room seem bright and cheery?  

It's a fact: acquiring the highest market value and elevating your house above others in the same price range often comes down to first impressions.

Here are some inexpensive ways to maximize your home's appeal:

Exterior

• Keep the grass freshly cut.
• Remove all yard clutter.
• Apply fresh paint to wooden fences.
• Paint the front door.
• Weed and apply fresh mulch to garden beds.
• Clean windows inside and out.
• Wash or paint the home's exterior.
• Tighten and clean all door handles.
• Ensure gutters and downspouts are firmly attached.
• Put a new black mat at the front entry.

Interior

• Declutter!!! Remove excessive wall hangings, furniture, and nick-nacks
  (consider a temporary self-storage unit).
• Clean or paint walls and ceilings.
• Shampoo carpets.
• Clean and organize cabinets and closets.
• Repair all plumbing leaks, including faucets and drain traps.
• Clean all light fixtures, and make sure all light bulbs work.
• Consider moving out; it will give the potential buyers space to imagine it being their home!

For Showings

• Turn on all the lights.
• Open drapes in the daytime.
• Keep pets secured outdoors or better yet, take them with you.
• Play quiet background music.
• Light the fireplace (if seasonally appropriate).
• Infuse home with a comforting scent like apple spice, vanilla, or freshly baked cookies!
• Vacate the property while it is being shown. Give them time to view without looking over them. 

Getting presentation feedback from your REALTOR and the showing agents is highly recommended as it might shed light on things you didn't consider that may turn off a potential buyer. Even the little things make a difference! If you have already moved out of the house, professional staging may be worth considering as it shows the house in a different light. 

Top Ten Reasons You Should Professionally Stage Your Home

• You Will Make a Lot More Money – According to a Zillow Survey of Real Estate Agents, hiring a professional home stager is the second BEST investment a home seller can make in the process of selling their home. See the latest statistics: 2023 Profile of Home Staging
• Your Home Will Sell Faster – More money and less headache and stress. A National Association of Realtors survey found that the longer a home stays on the market, the further below list price it drops. Homes that sold in the first 4 weeks averaged 1% more than the list price; 4-12 weeks averaged 5% less; 13-24 weeks averaged 6.4% less; than list price; and 24 weeks averaged more than 10% less than list price.
• The Cost of Staging Doesn’t Cost a Dime – In a Home Gain Survey of over 2000 Realtors, it was discovered that the aspects of home staging typically provide a 399% return on investment!
• Most Home Sellers Cannot View Their Home Objectively – If you can’t see objectively, you can’t “package” effectively. Have an HSR staffing professional get your home into its most advantageous condition for showing.
• Your Online Photos Will Stand Out Amongst the Competition – According to a NAR profile of buyers, over 95% of buyers are searching for homes online first before deciding to visit. Give buyers a reason to drive to your home by having multiple photos of beautifully staged rooms that will stand out among the competition!
• Only 10% of Homebuyers Can Visualize the Potential of a Home – That’s why staging a home is critical! You don’t want the advantages of your home overlooked and left up to the buyer’s imagination.
• The Longer Your Home is on the Market, the Lower the Price Will Be, So STAGE FIRST! – According to a National Association of Realtors survey, homes that sold after 4 weeks on the market sold for 6% less than ones within the first 4 weeks! Don’t be in a position where you have to lower your price…have your house staged!
• The Money You Make on the Sale of Your Home May Be TAX FREE and the Money You Spend on Staging Is Deductible! – Take advantage of a possible tax-free capital gain by getting every dollar possible while getting a possible tax deduction for spending on staging services to improve and sell your home! 
• Leaving Your House in “AS IS” Condition Will Only Help Sell the Competition – Competition can be stiff and buyers have very high expectations, as well as choices. Successful agents know that the key to competing is professional staging because it creates compelling online presentations, drives buyer traffic to the home, and turns prospects into buyers.
• You Can Relax! – You will have the satisfaction of knowing you have done absolutely everything possible to affect a quick sale of your most valuable commodity and for top dollar! Don’t leave money on the table!