~Suggestions to Prepare Your House For Sale~

It is always beneficial to consult with a Real Estate Staging Professional to be sure you are choosing items and making improvements that will appeal to the widest range of buyers.

 Maximize Your Curb Appeal... Curb appeal can invite buyers to come in and buy the house or keep driving. Make the most of what you have.

• The exterior paint or siding should be fairly neutral and in good condition. Front doors and shutters painted in a color that will appeal to a wide range of people can add a lot of appeal. (To match the existing paint color, bring a piece of peeling paint to Purcell’s, since it has faded from being in the weather. Be sure to mark the side that you want matched if it isn’t obvious.)
• Make sure the yard is free of clutter and lawn decorations. Mow and rake the lawn. Plant grass seed where needed. Edge, weed, and mulch all garden beds. (Edging means digging an edge line, not putting in plastic edging.) Mulch should be natural or dark brown – this appeals to the widest range of buyers.
• Prune all shrubs and dead branches in trees.
• Clean out the gutters. Make sure they are secure and working.
• Clean all sidewalks and the driveway. If the driveway is in bad condition, consider resurfacing, sealing, or replacing (depending on your budget).
• Potted plants, a new mailbox, and new house numbers provide a great impact for little investment.
• Set up a seating area on the porch. Don’t use too many pieces of furniture... Keep it simple and inviting.
• Don’t forget about the garage, shed, and fencing. Make sure these are all in good condition and painted appropriately.

Be sure that the entire house is absolutely sparkling Clean, Clean, Clean… as if your mother or mother-in-law is going to be inspecting every inch. When a house is clean, buyers have the sense that is has been well cared for.

• Wash all windows and screens. This is very important. It makes an enormous difference.
• Bathrooms and kitchens that are sparkling clean leave a strong, positive impression; even if they are outdated.
• Be sure that there are no undesirable odors. Odors from pets, foods, strong perfumes, mold, or mildew are immediate turn-offs. Find the source of the odor and eliminate it. Covering up odors does not work. A person that is new in your house will smell the odor and the cover-up fragrance. If necessary, rent or purchase an ionized air purifier. Often thoroughly cleaning the source of the problem and opening up windows will do the job. It’s always a good idea to open windows and doors on a daily basis for at least few moments in order to exchange the air. It helps if this can be done shortly before a showing. If you do want to use an air freshener, make sure it is not too strong. (Everyone has different responses to fragrances.) The scent of freshly brewed coffee, baked cookies, or a little lemon or orange peel that has simmered on the stove are usually better alternatives to commercial air fresheners. Sprinkling baking soda on carpets and upholstery and then vacuuming it up will eliminate some odors. Throw away area rugs that are tattered or smell of mildew.
• Wipe down walls that are not being painted where there are fingerprints or other marks that may show. Clean all light fixtures and ceiling fans. Remove all cobwebs and sweep the floor.

Thin out, De-clutter, and De-personalize
You want the potential buyer to have a great first impression of every room. Help them envision themselves living in the space instead of you living there.

• Pack or put away all of your personal items, such as bills and other mail, toiletries, and laundry.
• Put away family pictures. In some cases, old black and white portraits of families are alright. In general, however, it’s better if the buyer can envision their own family photos. Buyers often feel as though they are intruding on your private space, when there are a lot of personal items and personalized decor.
• Remove excess furniture and decorative items Note: if you are going to work with a professional Real Estate Stager you should make these choices together.
• Make all of the beds each day that the house could possibly be shown.
• Put out your best or new towels (for show only), in colors that will compliment the walls and floors.

Repair and Replace things that are worn,broken and /or outdated... Buyers don't want to pay top dollar for a house that needs work that you haven't gotten to.

• Paint the interior and repair damaged ceilings and walls. A fresh coat of paint in neutral shades make an enormous difference in how clean and bright a house seems. This also makes the house look well cared for and can help give it an updated look. A color consultation with a Staging Professional can take the guess work out of which colors appeal to the widest range of buyers, as well as which colors work well together in order to create a flow through the house. In some cases you may want to use paint to accentuate wood work and other features.
• Refinish worn hardwood floors and replace dated, worn or cracked tile, vinyl flooring and carpet.
• Fix or replace all faucets, drains, or plumbing that are leaking or in need of attention (updated fixtures can add a lot of bang for your buck).
• Replace outdated light fixtures (unless they are original to the house; as in the case of many Victorian homes). Replace burned out light bulbs and broken electrical sockets. Most buyers are turned off by houses that seem dark and dreary. All of the lights should be in working order and on when showing your house.
• Replace old locks and doornkobs that are in bad condition or unattractive. In most cases the finish on the locks and doornobs should be the same throughout the house.
• Fix any doors that are difficult to open. Make it easy for realtors to show the house.
• Replace broken or drafty windows.
• In short: Anything that is broken should be fixed or replaced.

Make the most of your closets and storage space
Space sells if buyers can see and appreciate it.

• Closets should be half full. Pack away clothing and items that are out of season and won’t be needed for a few months - while the house is on the market. Donate items you will not use rather than moving them to storage. Organize and straighten up everything that will remain. This will leave the impression that there is plenty of closet space.
• Install clothes bars in all closets that do not currently have them.
• All cabinets, pantries, and linen closets should be neat, organized, and roomy – as you might find in a magazine or store display.
• Attics and basements should have plenty of room so that buyers are able to walk around easily. Basement walls should be visible. If you have too many things stored in these areas, and do not plan on getting rid of it, it is worth investing in a temporary storage unit. You want the buyer to see and remember the space, not your things.

*Summary:  If it has or does bother you it will detore the potential buyer, unless you are willing to give a fair price reduction to allow for the costs. Keep in mind that more often than not taking care of these things costs less than potential buyers think it will. This will lead to buyers bargaining for more of a price reduction than the work warrants. Take away their bargaining points before they know they had them.

Please visit again, we will be adding more tips.