One of the first steps to preparing a home for sale is
staging. This process serves several purposes:
1: To attract buyers
2: To bring out the features in
your house
3: Prepare you for moving on to
your new home
It is understandable that after living in your home you may
not realize all that you have accumulated and it is only natural to personalize
a home to your tastes. However, when you are preparing to put your home up on
the market it is important to remember that by putting your house on the market
you are now selling a product.
The outside of the house is the first thing people see and
in some cases is all they will ever see. If the exterior is not well maintained
people are inclined to believe that the inside is going to be in similar
condition.
Make sure to remove any items from the exterior of your home
that you are not intending to sell with the house. This may include:
Personalized paving stones
Lawn décor
Childrens Toys
Vehicles not in use
ATV’s and boats
Wind chimes
Chi
By removing these items it will help give your home a less
cluttered appearance and allow for buyers to see your house and not your
things. Now that you have less to maneuver around make sure that any plants and
hedges are trimmed. It is also very important to remove dead plants, weeds and
if needed any wasp/bee nests.
You don’t want your buyers focusing
how much work they are going to have to do when they move in, instead try to
clear the slate so they can imagine living there. For this reason making sure
your house looks move in ready on the outside will help to increase interest.
Looking at your house
from the roof down pay attention to details if your roof has moss on it make
sure that it is cleaned and removed. Gutters should be cleared of any debris;
one good rain and clogged gutters might just manage to soak your potential
buyers and wash away offers in one fell swoop.
Siding and paint can make a world of difference on how a
house is viewed as well. Neutral colors are best as most people are drawn to
warm and inviting colors. Bold and vibrant colors may mean considerably less
interest due to the personalization of the colors used. Paint can also update an older style home to
appeal to a broader market. In some cases you may be able to power wash the
exterior to remove built up dust and dirt and help to increase the clean
appearance of the house. Washing the windows and cleaning screens will also
help to increase the amount of natural light in the house as well as improving
the appearance outside.
Also take note and repair any calking that is missing or
weather worn. Repair any loose boards or railings on decks and patios to
minimize any hazards for buyers and yourself when you prepare to move.
Always keep in mind your goal is making your house a clean
slate for your buyer to fill with the new life they will have there.
- by Michele Renatta
Posts
