 Once you've made the decision to put your home on the market, you may wonder where to begin in terms of getting it ready. With so much competition in the marketplace, it is critical that your home show beautifully. Here are some tips to ensure that your home is appealing to buyers.
- Depersonalize. When buyers come into your home, it's important that they be able to see themselves living there. Your personal items may detract from their ability to do so. Remove family photos and knick-knacks.
- Declutter. Less is definitely more when it comes to selling a home. Not only should you remove personal clutter like your family's coats and shoes, but you should also really minimize the items on shelves, counters and walls. Pick a few of your most universally appealing items to leave, and remove everything else. For example, kitchen counters should be empty. No coffee maker, toaster or paper towel holders allowed. Empty counters make the kitchen look bigger.
- Remove excess furniture. If your home is crowded with furniture, it looks smaller. Ask for your realtor's opinion or the opinion of a stager to determine if you need to remove pieces. Once you've lived with all of the pieces, the home won't feel cluttered to you, though it may to others.
- Make it shine. When your home is sparkling clean, it is much more appealing to buyers. In addition to regular cleaning, be sure to wash windows inside and out and polish all the mirrors. Have the window treatments cleaned or washed, too.
- Brighten it up. Keep curtains open and swap out light bulbs for ones with higher wattage. Every room should be bright and cheerful.
- Add fragrance. Fresh flowers that have a nice scent will make your home look and smell beautiful. Another way to get a nice natural fragrance is to fill a bowl with lemons. Before you leave the house for a showing, prick one or two of the lemon peels with a fork. This will cause the lemons to emit their fragrant oils. You can also bake some cookies just before a showing to make your home smell great. Leave the freshly baked cookies on the kitchen table or counter for potential buyers.
- Turn your bathroom into a spa. Your bathroom should be so clean and fresh that it appears that no one ever uses it. In addition to keeping it scrupulously clean, try adding aromatherapy items and pure white towels for a spa feel. Recaulking the tub and replacing the shower curtain is a good idea, too.
Taking these seven steps should really help prepare your house to make the best possible impression on potential buyers. The market is tough, but if your house stands out from the crowd, there's no reason why you can't sell your home quickly and for a price that will allow you to upgrade to a better and more beautiful home for yourself.
Posted by Jen Dollar on
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