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Home Preparation
Home Selling Preparation Advice
So the decision has been made to sell your home. Now what? There are steps you can take as the homeowner and in conjunction with your agent, to streamline the process. We become comfortable in our environment and many times do not see the things that potential buyers may take note of when considering making an offer on your home. The goal for the seller is to culminate as many interested buyers in a timely manner, at the highest price possible, for the market.
You also want to consider the inspection process and the impression a home with excessive repairs or notations can make. So where do you start? Although it may be difficult, you must look at your home with an objective approach. Be realistic about what potential buyers as a whole will find appealing. Persevere with the goal of selling the property in mind. Here are tips to get you started.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
- Perform an initial walkthrough through the eyes of a buyer and inspector. If possible, try to separate yourself from any emotional attachment to the home and its contents.
- Eliminate all clutter – Use this as an opportunity to kick start the packing process. This will help create the feeling of spaciousness and additionally create a neutral environment, where the buyer can imagine their own belongings in the space. The primary focus should be on personal items such as photos and materials that represent a particular affiliation. The goal is to eliminate the potential of a buyer to focus on who the seller is instead of the house and what it can offer them.
- Consider the intended functions of each space or room. Are you using a room for more than one function? This can give the impression of a lack of space and create confusion for the buyer as to how the space will be utilized. This may mean a portion of your furnishings may need to be removed prior to the show of your home. It is not unusual for some furnishings to be removed to ensure the property shows to its full potential.
- Clean and Replace – This is an easy act and is sure to have a 100% return on your investment. Potential buyers are uncomfortable in environments that are not clean. The impression of an unkempt home is extremely difficult to overcome. Clean or replace carpets that do not show well, have glass cleaned inside and out to promote light in the home, replace all light bulbs that are burned out, check sealants and be sure they do not show signs of wear or failure and paint areas that show wear or may be not be neutral.
- Get ahead of the improvement or repair curve. You live in the home and know if a repair is needed. Take care of this and increase avoidance of the long list of required repairs from inspection. It is also a good idea to have your home inspected prior to sale and prior to making any large improvements in the instance that your new improvement might be damaged to fix an underlying problem.
- Start your potential buyer’s home tour off with a bang. How does your home speak to the buyer from the curb? Is the paint cracked or faded or may it be an uncommon choice that will turn off buyers? Is the lawn and landscaping attractive, freshly cut and trimmed. Plants that block light into the home might require special consideration and either trimmed or removed. Are there plants that need to be replaced or watering system repairs? Consider planting seasonal flowers to create colorful interest. Remember to also remove clutter outside your home. The same rules apply for creating a blank canvas outside your home that applied inside.
Staging Your Home Will Give You The Highest Return
Staging is the art of merchandising your home to appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers as possible. It is unlike interior design which often times targets and appeals to a specific audience or taste.
- Benefits of staging your home – Hiring a professional to stage your home releases you from the emotional attachment and altered judgment associated with personal belongings and experiences within the space. A staging third party will be able to analyze your surroundings with an experienced and objective eye and adjust the surroundings accordingly to best feature your home to prospective buyers. The analytics speak for themselves. Research has shown that homes who utilized professional staging services were more likely to sell at a higher price.
- Cost vs Benefit – According to Mortgage News Daily, the benefits of home staging might be too readily dismissed or overlooked. While we have previously mentioned recommended steps for the seller to take to prepare their property for marketing, enlisting a professional can boost your homes appeal above and beyond the competition. This can often mean a higher sales price in a shorter amount of time. According to Mortgage News Daily, home staging pricing for a simple consultation can run from $200.00 to $400.00 and up depending greatly on the scope of the work. On the up side, regardless of the money output for staging, http://www.stagedhomes.com, a leader in home staging services statistics showed an average of a 3% minimum increase in final sales price from homes that had been professionally stage verses those that had not. Check out our concierge section for a staging professional in the San Francisco market.
Whether you decide to get professional help or not, here is an easy to follow checklist to get your moving in the right direction when preparing your home for the market.