I love my home, with all of its challenges and quirks, but one day I may want to sell. In order to sell your home, in any market but especially now, you need to make your home look inviting and livable.
There are many ways to do that. The very first thing is to clean it. A clean home gives the impression that it has been well maintained. No matter how lovely your home is if it is dirty, cluttered and smells funny prospective buyers will have a hard time imagining it as their home.
Decluttering is essential. Less clutters creates the illusion of more space. Count on people looking in your closets so make sure they are neat and organized. Before you put your home on the market go through and box up everything you don’t absolutely need. Clothes, shoes and purses you don’t wear often go in a box to free up closet space. The same thing goes for extra linens and coats.
Clear off counter tops and tables. Clean lines look spacious, clutter makes a home appear smaller. Family photos can be welcoming, but only one or two, twenty on the mantel will not allow the eye to travel the lines of your beautiful mantel.
Be ruthless in the kitchen. Box up all extra plastic containers and appliances that only get used once a year. You want them to be able to imagine their things in your home, not be overwhelmed by your things.
Don’t forget the garage. If this is your main storage area make sure it is neat and organized. You want them to be able to see their cars in your garage, that’s hard to do if you can’t even walk in there.
Tidy up your gardens and yard. Even if it’s the middle of winter make sure the prospective owners aren’t looking out the kitchen window and seeing all the dead plants in the flower garden.
Make sure you do any minor repairs, paint that section of the fence that needs it and make sure the gate works properly. Tighten door knobs and cabinet pulls. If there is something in your home that you hope they won’t see or touch, know they will and do something about it.
Finally, make sure you have a good agent, get lots of referrals before you sign a contract. Plan on not being home when the house is being shown. This includes your pets. Again, you want them to be able to imagine living there.