Prepping Your Home for Sale
By
Sam Allen
Over the years we’ve seen that a little extra care can go a long way in prepping your home for sale. Specifically, decluttering and creating a welcoming environment are key! With that in mind, we’ve asked local organization expert, Carly Adams from Tidy Revival, to share her top tips for prepping your home for sale. Take it away, Carly!
The number one complaint that I hear from clients as they prepare to list their home is that they are overwhelmed. They know that they want their home to shine to potential buyers, but don’t know where to start.
In fact, most of my moving clients are not looking to have their hand held throughout the process. They are looking for an action plan and accountability partner to help them reach their goals. My role is to help them zero in on their goals and create an action plan around them.
If you’re preparing to move, I’ve created a printable just for you. I’ve included some Top Tips in the guide, but want to expand on them here as well:
1. Do a Visual Sweep
When creating your plan, do a visual sweep of every room from the doorway. During this exercise you’re wanting to picture the room from the point of view of a buyer. Where is your eye drawn? Are there clutter piles that are stealing your focus? Is the space of each room highlighted optimally, or are excess furniture items blocking movement? Most clients will need to reduce the number of furniture items as well as decor by about 50%. Know that this is to showcase how spacious your home is, and make potential buyers feel more at home immediately.
2. Make the Decor Less Personal
Be sure to remove all family photos from your home, as well as decor that includes any names. This will help potential buyers see themselves in the space easier, as well as keep your privacy when photos of your home (as well as your address) are online. You will also want to pack what you can before you list your home. In kitchens, this will give you extra cupboard space to hide items that usually live on your counters. In bedrooms, this will give you more open space in the closet – highlighting the features that buyers are looking for. Remember that they aren’t able to see highlights through the clutter – you’ll need to make every feature very apparent to those touring your home.
3. Let the Sunshine In
Light is a very important aspect when selling your home. Buyers want to see “light and bright” areas as much as possible. That’s why it’s important to showcase the light coming in each room. Be sure to open blinds before each showing, and if any windows have makeshift window coverings, remove them before you list your home.
4. Call a Professional
Hiring a professional cleaning crew to do a deep clean of your home, as well as getting your windows professionally cleaned is an investment you won’t want to skip. Many people want to DIY, but this is not the place to pinch pennies. Professionals do this day in, day out – they have the experience to get the job done right, and quickly.
I hope the tips above, and in the download, help you as you prepare your home to list and sell. Remember that the goal is to create a beautiful first impression online, to attract buyers and ultimately sell your home for the best price possible. If you need a more personalized action plan, connect with me anytime at tidyrevival.com.
