EPLAN.HOUSEBefore we start. I want to prepare you a little for what you are about to read. Selling a home is an emotional experience. And the process of creating a show at home can be tedious in many ways, including emotionally. Many of these tips can be a bit prickly.
Just remember that your # 1 goal is to sell your home as quickly as possible for as much money as possible.
For this, your best bet is to set your feelings aside. The sensations of everything from your family to your pets, your love for this awesome wallpaper that you chose for your child's nursery 10 years ago, or for the stripes you drew in the living room in 2015 that took you 3 days to create ...
REMOVE ALL THIS as much as possible.
Try to look at your home as objectively as possible. Put yourself in the shoes of the buyer.
What do you want to see, hear, smell, feel when you enter the house that you might want to buy? If you can look at this place and think about your home from that perspective, then you will set yourself up for success right from the door.
Let's start with one of the most potentially annoying recommendations and get rid of it first ...
HOUSE SCENE Tip # 1: Hide your kids.
I am sure that your children are the most precious thing you have. I know that their faces could sell ice to the Eskimos. But you know what? Little Barbie and Ken will not be able to sell your home to desired buyers.
Why? Because buyers want to represent their own family in your home. If they don't have children, they don't like children, are allergic to children, and so on, and the more they stumble over Barbie, Ken, or Lego, the less they will love your home.
If they have to wade through the Thomas and Barbie Railroad to even step foot into a room in your house, your home's appeal has already dropped by several points.
It's not personal, but we need to hide Billy Bob and Cindy Lou's belongings as we prepare to sell the house. Save yourself the hassle and cut these children's gear as much as possible. And all that remains must be hidden or arranged very carefully. Keep it in your home if necessary, but ideally, rent a warehouse that is either at the entrance or a couple of miles down the road.
The fewer children's things they see, the larger and more open your home will seem, and the better they can imagine themselves in space. And this is important.
Let me tell you here that as a mom of three, I know that household items and especially children's items can be difficult to clean.
HOUSE-SCENE Tip # 2:
Hide pets.
Just like Barbie and Ken, I know your pets are the best. Your cats are the funniest, your dog is the most adorable. But then again, Jill and Jack will not help you in your quest to sell your home quickly and for maximum profit. In fact, they'll ruin everything.
I know it sounds crazy, but there are people who hate cats and hate dogs. There are even people who are allergic to animals.
The last thing you need is for a buyer to walk into your home and leave in anaphylactic shock. The sense of smell of pets is highly off-putting to almost all buyers. Even those who love animals. Trust me. I've seen it a thousand times.
If you have a friend or neighbor who wants to temporarily house your pet while you are selling your house, this is ideal. This also applies to large pets, such as your dog or cat, and small pets, such as hamsters, snakes, mice, etc.
Many people think they can keep small pets, but not everyone will enjoy seeing a snake in the house they are about to buy. Again, I have nothing against Sammy. I'm sure she's a safe snake, but for some, just looking at Sammy from afar may be enough to make it to the Canadian border in 10 minutes.
HOME SCENE Tip # 3:
Hide photos of your pets and your kids.
One of the reasons people love fashion houses so much is because they can imagine themselves in a fashion house. Why? Because they are not personalized. They are made for the masses.
The story that the sample house tells can become your story. It could be anyone's story, and that's the point. This is what you want when you sell your home.
Take family photos. Hang up beautiful ocean watercolors instead. Everyone loves the ocean, right?
Take off your diplomas. When people see them on the wall, they want to see them, because we are all curious creatures.
When they see that you went to the College of Economics and you have a degree in accounting, they begin to imagine who you are… what kind of person you are… what your story is.
When they see all of your personal belongings, buyers stop wondering if they can see themselves living in the house and become interested in you and your family. This is not what you want at all. You want the prospect's experience in your home to be about them, not you.
HOME SCENE Tip # 4:
Hide yourself.
This is possibly the worst offense of all. Do not stay in your home while buyers are examining it. I know you think you can answer questions about the house, tell them about all the great and expensive upgrades you've made. You can talk about how wonderful the neighbors are and talk about amazing public amenities.
If you have to give them all the details, and sometimes it may be necessary ... make a note and leave it in the kitchen. If there is a feature such as a built-in sound system that you think customers might overlook, ... hang a sign on the wall.
Post a couple of signs if there are multiple such features that don't necessarily stand out but can impress customers.
Some candles add a pleasant ambiance as well as scent, but if there is no agent in the home to monitor them for safety, simply place them in an unlit area.
Just don't overload the house with scents. It is worse when you try to hide the more strong unpleasant smell.
Buyers can be very demanding. They are all like detectives looking for any reason not to love your home. Don't let your Glade flavors and yesterday's tuna casserole be a reason for giving up.
HOUSE SCENE Tip # 6:
Neutralize decor. For the most part, when it comes to preparing a home for sale, it is best to use neutral paint and neutral decor.
If you have rooms with very dark paint on the walls at home, consider painting them light, bright, neutral. White and light gray are good choices.
If you have bright wallpaper, curtains, crazy duvets, and more, consider dimming it all up. You don't have to spend a ton of money doing this. Buy cheap neutral curtains. Or take them off entirely!
Change dark pillowcases for light ones. Cover the beds with light, bright graphic bedding.
If you have no idea what it should look like, think of the cute hotel you stayed in, a magazine photo of your bedroom that you really liked, or the location in the model house that made you stay. this is the look to strive for.
HOUSE SCENE Tip # 7: So fresh and so clean.
Speaking of magazine images, if you have a home magazine on hand, flip through it now. You will see a working theme.
LIVE things. In almost every photo of any place in an interiors magazine, you will see something alive, be it fruits in a vase, flowers in a vase, a small or large houseplant.
There is something we like better about seeing something living indoors. So add some life to every room.
Already moved out? Then opt for artificial plants! Fake citrus fruits in a bowl. Fake succulents and flowers. Many of them look amazingly realistic today!
HOUSE SCENE Tip # 8: LET THERE BE LIGHT!
This tip may be the easiest to follow and the most important of all. If you are selling your home, keep the curtains open and the blinds up! Turn on every light. Lamp, chandelier, overhead light, closet light, pantry light, leave everything on before leaving the house. You want as much light as possible in your home.
Buyers love light. Lots of light.
I've never, never seen a buyer walk into a house and say, “You know what? There is too much light here for us. " We don't like this.
When buyers visit your home with an agent, 9 times out of 10 they will enter your home together. It would be great if agents have 10 minutes to walk through your home before buyers arrive, to turn on all your lights, open all curtains, etc.
But when an agent drives a customer around several houses, the customer usually steps on his heels when the door swings open. So unless you leave the lights on at home and open the curtains, buyers may not see the house at its best. And this is very unfortunate.
Already moved out? Put all lighting fixtures (internal and external) on timers. If your home is in a safe area and you feel comfortable, leave the curtains and blinds open even when you are away. This will make the display of the property more positive.
One final thought on this topic:
LIGHTS ARE IMPORTANT!
Make sure you have working light bulbs in every lighting fixture and electrical appliance (including a lamp under a microwave oven, a lamp in a cupboard, a light bulb in storage rooms, etc.)! And choose bulbs with warm light, not cold or daylight. Warmer lamps make the home cozier and more comfortable for most buyers.
That's all, friends. If you follow these tips and tricks for organizing your home, I can ensure your home looks better and buyers are motivated faster and more willing to offer more than they would have if you hadn't implemented these concepts. I saw it and experienced it myself.
Good luck on your mission to organize and sell your home! And good luck finding and starting the next phase of your life in a new home.
