Has this fast-paced Seller’s Market sparked something inside of you as a homeowner? Thinking it may be time to take that next step on the path to listing your home but feeling a little hesitant because the process seems daunting? Read on for hot tips on prepping your home for selling success!
Well, now most certainly IS the time to sell and the Real Estate Nation Team’s got you. The truth is yes, selling your home does take work, however, it doesn’t have to be difficult or overwhelming. If you have the right agent (supported by a talented team) working for you every step of the way, prepping your home to list and successfully selling it can actually be enjoyable. Who knew?!
So, let’s talk about the prep work that goes into selling your home in a short amount of time, to the right buyer, and for a desirable price that you deserve. A huge part of selling your home is positively displaying it through pictures and actual in-home showings. There are relatively simple steps you can do to get your home looking it’s best to attract the attention of potential buyers. You might be surprised by the big impact these simple things can make!
As a seller, you can stage your own home, have your realtor help you stage it, or hire a professional home stager. Our team has a dedicated Listing Coordinator who also provides staging and stylization for our clients as part of our service package followed by a photoshoot taken by a professional photographer. During a staging/stylization consult, our Listing Coordinator will come to your house and walk through each room with you discussing how to declutter, minimize, clean, update, and freshen up.
What exactly is staging? Simply put, it’s basically prepping your home for selling success! The goal of staging and stylization is to make your property more marketable by creating a home that is the most appealing to the largest number of prospective buyers. Both can make your house look the best for showings, professional pictures and online content. As a result, homes typically sell quicker and for more money. A full staging service generally occurs when a home is vacant and typically costs an additional fee. Many times, in this case, external furniture and décor is brought in to make the home market ready. Stylization generally occurs when a home is occupied and usually entails a walk-through of the house from room to room identifying ways to declutter. If necessary, simple internal or external décor, or both, is applied to the decluttered rooms to make the home as visually appealing as possible.
Wondering why you should bother staging your home? Well, here are a few promising reasons:
- Many buyers can’t picture themselves living in the house if it is empty or, on the opposite end, if there is too much clutter and personalized items.
- Livable spaces, come to life. An awkward walk-through room becomes the perfect children’s play space, or a small bedroom transforms into the perfect office – and home offices are key these days!
- Think first impressions! Staging helps with fresh artwork, plants and new light fixtures to make your home even more pleasing to the eye.
According to the National Association of Realtors® Research Group’s 2021 Profile of Home Staging report:
- 23% of sellers’ agents reported an increase in the buyer’s offer value by 1-5% compared to homes that were not staged while 18% reported an increased offer value of 6-10%.
- 82% of buyers’ agents reported that staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the house as their own
- At 46%, staging the living room was reported to be the most important for buyers with the master bedroom coming in as a close second at 43% followed by the kitchen at 35%
Now that we’ve convinced you why staging your home is so important, keep reading for some helpful tips on prepping your home for selling success!
STAGING TIPS
- LESS IS MORE. De-clutter, de-clutter, and DE-CLUTTER your home down to minimal wall hangings, shelving accessories, décor, etc. While your knick-knacks may have meaning to you, they will not to prospective buyers so be sure to put those away and out of site when prepping your home to sell.
- On that note, if you don’t wear it, donate it. Closets already feel small so make more room by reducing them to the bare minimum – expect buyers to be looking in places like closets, drawers, and event the freezer to check out the storage situation!
- When in doubt, a neutral gray can win the day! Fresh paint can make a house feel new again – the wear and tear of the walls and marks are no longer there.
- Consider talking about new carpet for an even more powerful punch. New carpet smell is better.
- Kitchens feel better with less stuff. (Ever thought about not using your microwave for a few weeks?) Take your paper towel holder and place it under the sink. Find a spot in the pantry for the toaster and old coffee maker.
- Large curtains and old blinds sometimes are best simply taken down—remember to patch the holes! Or consider adding a simple rod and white curtains to lengthen the windows and bring height + texture to the room.
- Shampoo and soap only in shower or use a shower caddy for a few days or weeks while your home is on the market.
- Remove your window screens to create even brighter views! Place screens in a safe place, such as your basement storage area or even in the garage.
- Remove the majority of your personal photos, calendars and notes so buyers aren’t distracted and can best visualize the space as their own.
- Laundry spaces are the newest thing buyers love to enjoy, so tidy-up!
- Garages can be the overflow area and a deal-breaker for some so consider taking excess tools to a friend’s house or storage.
YARD CLEANUP CHECKLIST
Curb appeal is essential when it comes to staging your home. While landscaping projects can become tedious and expensive, here is a list of some smaller yet effective steps you can take without making a hefty investment.
- Mow the lawn regularly and keep it in good condition.
- Clear branches, twigs and trash from the lawn daily, and remember to remove leaves on a regular basis.
- Remove oil spots from garage floor.
- Perk up the outside with seasonal flowers – this doesn’t always mean you have to plant entire flowerbeds. Even a few strategically placed pots will add some color and charm.
- Sweep sidewalks and walkways, keeping the edges trimmed.
- Replace torn or loose screens.
- Clear dead shrubbery and plants. A bare spot looks better than a dead plant.
- Prune/trim bushes from windows.
- Replace any outside light bulbs or full fixtures that are not working.
- Clean the front entrance – remove cobwebs, add a quick coat of paint to the front door, etc.
- Add a decorative welcome mat.
- Make sure the doorbell is working properly.
- Weed any flowerbeds and freshen up with new mulch.
- Repair any broken or rotted fencing.
- Remember to “pick-up” after pets.
Whether you are ready to sell or not, we are here for you and are full of helpful tips and tricks when it comes to updating your house in general, as well as, prepping your home for selling success no matter what the budget. Feel free to reach out – we’d love to be part of your journey!