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Preparing to Sell, Elating or Overwhelming?

By January 7, 2019No Comments

Preparing to sell, the feeling can be elating or overwhelming. The process of putting your home on the market can be exciting or challenging. Whichever it may feel for one individual, all my clients have told me that they have learned a lot through the experience of preparation for selling.

Here are some tips that they have learned in preparing a home to sell that I can pass onto you

Tips for preparing to sell

When packing think before you wrap:

Think, have I used this within the past year? Will I need it in my new surroundings? Do I really feel it is worth packing, caring and unpacking again at my next residents? If not maybe it’s time to depart with the item(s).

Preparing rooms:

When you first move into a house we like to make them our own, with color and objects.  Sometimes though the things we did when we moved in have never been updated. If you have been in your house for more than three years, it probably is time to update. When it comes to selling it can become difficult to do all the catching up needed. Update now, modernize and enjoy the rooms while you are still living there. 

Take a picture it is worth a thousand words:

When I do a staging consult I always take a picture of the rooms. 95% of buyers search first online and will decide then and there if they even want to take the time to visit the house. Pictures capture details that the eye may not notice at a quick glance. It also helps you review what needs to be changed.

Bring on the light!:

Although window dressing helps complete a room, keep in mind less is more. Simple wooden blinds or simple panels work well because they let the light come into the room. Although it is good to be energy efficient with  LED lights when showing a house make sure the rooms radiate warmth. The CFL bulb although they save energy, take a long time to brighten up a room. Too long to be bright enough for a buyer walking through a house. Change lights to the same wattage and type of bulb in rooms. Also consider the fixtures too. Are they in style of something that dates back ten or more years. Change them out to complement current decor.

Hoping the house is good enough “as is”:

When you are in the mindset to sell that last thing you want to do is to spend money on changing anything. Think of staging your home as detailing, like you would a car. You are taking the box and adding punctuation points that will entice a buyer to fall in love with the product, your house.

preparing to sell is important prior to photos

De-clutter but don’t overdo it:

Clients have told me that they have de-cluttered and are ready to sell, only to come into the house that feels empty and basically sterile. This goes back to the last point; you need those punctuation points to make the house speak to buyers. De-cluttering is good, but don’t overdo it. You need to be selective and consider what will pull at the heartstrings of all buyers.

It can be overwhelming, preparing to sell your largest investment is essential for a profitable fast sale.  If you follow these suggestions you should be on the road to a quick sale.

Other good reads:

Are You Destroying The Equity in Your Home When Selling?

Selling | Call in Professional Help To Sell Quickly

Karen GP

Author Karen GP

Karen GrayPlaisted is the principle owner of Design Solutions KGP. She is a graduate from Pace University and The Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. Her marketing background and design sense are a perfect combination for home sellers. In the first year she began her staging business, she won the ‘Rising Star’ accolade from RESA, selected from all North American stagers, USA and Canada. In 2016 she won top Occupied Stager in the USA. Karen’s ability to educate and empower clients using simple solutions allows homeowners to transform their spaces with desirable affordable decadence.

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