Things You Need to Know: Tips for a Better Sale
 
The First Impression: Too often sellers spend all their time prepping the interior of their home only to neglect a major area of concern, curb appeal.  When a buyer reaches your house, they need to be instantly taken aback with its beauty.  The trees and shrubbery need to be pruned, the lawn needs to be manicured and the porch and sidewalk need to be absolutely free of clutter and trash.  If a buyer is not impressed with the exterior of your home and property, chances are that bad taste will stay with them as they move through the interior, if they even decide to go in! 
 
Depersonalize: Homeowners need to depersonalize their home to prepare it to sell. It is now a product that has to appeal to as many potential homebuyers as possible. Family photographs, certificates, medals, family heirlooms, anything that can be seen as a personal artifact needs to be removed.  Buyers need to picture themselves in your home.  Also these distractions can take away from the features of the home, which is what you want buyers to focus on.
 
De-Clutter: Many people fail to realize how many possessions they accumulate over the years in a home.  Go through storage and closets and thoroughly examine each item, think to yourself “Do I really use this?” or “Do I really need this?”  This is a great time to make a clean sweep of your belongings and have a yard sale or donate the items to charity.  Also, make sure only your seasonal items are in your closets.  Box up the out-of-season items.  Again, the more possessions and items in your home, the less the buyer actually sees your home.
 
Sparkling Clean:  The bathroom can all too often be an area of the home that breaks a potential sale.  Bathrooms need to be spotless and sparkling clean.  Touch-up the paint, do the caulking and fill in holes.  Make sure all mirrors and any other glass surfaces are spotless.  Tubs and faucets need to be rust-free and drip-free.  If there is ever a time to fix that leak, there is no time like the present.  Buyers will be far more at ease looking at your home if the bathroom is fresh and bright and so will you.
 
Easy Fixes: Throughout your home, you may have burned out bulbs and doors that squeak.  These are effortless fixes and can make a huge difference in overall appearance.  Buy a large box of bulbs and go throughout your home checking each and every light and chandelier.  You’ll be surprised how many bulbs you replace.  Next, take a can of lubricant and go throughout your home opening and closing doors, cabinets and any other hinge sites.  The old, creak of a cabinet gives your home an antiquated and shabby feel—a major “no-no.”
 
Order and Organization: Not everyone is organized, but your home needs to be if you want to sell.  Buyers are going to look in every nook and cranny so make sure your junk drawer is cleaned out.  Open your closet and organize shirts by colors and sleeve length.  Make sure all clothing on shelves is folded and neat.  Your pantry needs to be as organized as possible. Try labeling to add an even further level of organization.  Remove all medicines from bathroom cabinets and store them safely in a shoebox under your bed or in a drawer.  Personal effects need to be out-of-sight and “out-of-your buyer’s mind.”
 
Staging: By definition, staging is the act of preparing your home and its contents for sale, with special emphasis on space and overall appearance.  The layout of furniture is imperative to staging.  Think open, bright and spacious.  Homebuyers need to be able to picture themselves and their belongings in your home.  Each room needs to have a function with appropriate furniture.  Even if you keep a desk and computer in your living room, it may not be the best choice when staging your home for sale.  Also, this is the time to remove any religious, cultural, or personal items that might obscure the homebuyers prospective of the space.  You can do your own staging or hire a professional. The cost of professional staging can run anywhere from several hundred dollars to $8,000, depending on whether you require a consultation only, or a house full of furniture. Research shows that staged homes sell faster and for more money than unstaged homes. Remember, your first price reduction, if your house isn’t selling, can easily be $10,000.00

My preference is to hire a professional. I use Donna Findlay, who has experience staging homes in the United States, Canada and Europe. Just remember, if you do hire a professional, follow their instructions and don’t be offended if they ask you to put away your collections. They know what appeals to homebuyers, and they want to help you get your home SOLD!