#ForgetMeNotFriday March 10, 2017
Pretend You Are Selling Your Home!
I think it would be a good idea to pretend you’re putting your home on the market in the next two weeks. I know that the season is Fall, but Spring is not the only time to clean! This will be a huge undertaking. Just ask any seller who has properly staged their house for resale. I’ve compiled a list of areas that need to be addressed when preparing your home for the market.
1. Empty clutter from each room and consider removing some furniture to open up the space. The idea is to make it look and feel large and spacious.
2. Consider the wall hangings – do you need all of them? Is it time for a change? I recommend some de-personalization because we live in a small town and the buyers can become distracted with whether or now they know you.
3. Touch up painted services – repair and repaint. This is really economical and easy to do, however, it is very important to the first impression. I also like to suggest painting near the front door because the fresh smell of paint makes a great first impression.
4. Perk up the front porch – If you have seating – clean and make it useable again. Consider putting seasonal flower near the entrance. You really have only one shot at a good first impression so make it count!
5. Make windows sparkle! – Clean windows inside and out. If your windows on the 2nd & 3rd floor, consider hiring a professional. Windows allow the sunshine to come in this is a small thing that makes a big difference.
6. Empty the “junk/clutter drawer” or misc. drawer (you know you have one of those!) You might be surprised what you find in there … a missing key or screwdriver. It helps to stay on top of what you have in there.
7. Clean out the pantry and donate to the local soup kitchen or Salvation Army canned goods that are still in date, but you don’t plan to use. This will also help make the pantry look more spacious.
8. Have carpets professionally cleaned and make all the floors shine like money! The floors are really important and can help each room feel fresh and clean.
9. Deep clean each bathroom and pay special attention to the showers – work at getting all the stains out! This is where people often notice how a house is cared for. It’s also important to simply be clean – don’t mask smells with strong fragrances.
10. Make sure each light has a bulb that is burning. This is an important detail that often gets overlooked. It’s a cheap and easy thing to remedy.
11. Add some outside lighting! Too many lights might make it look like a runway, but it needs just the right amount to feel safe and friendly. A few well-placed accents are important.
After making this list, I must confess that this list is certainly not exhaustive; but it does make me tired thinking of doing all of them. I don’t want to miss anything I could share with a seller. I would appreciate additional suggestions of things to do if you were really moving! You can connect with one of excellent agents via email: info@mwestrealty.com.