You Do Need a Plan

You have just listed your house on the market. You are anxious to sell and want to get the best price possible out of your home. So what do you do next? The answer is simple; staging your home is the next logical step. This means that you are readying your home for any potential buyer. However, you do need a plan. By addressing the areas that need to be repaired or cleaned, you will be much closer to getting your asking price. Staging your home allows you to set it up in any way that you think your prospective buyer will like it. The act of staging your home allows you a greater opportunity to sell it faster. The following “to do” list will assist you in initiating the process.

1. First of all, remove all of the clutter in the house. This means that if there are bikes and kid’s toys strewn about, get your little ones to clean up after they finish playing. Providing a few colorful storage boxes will assist them in getting their play things out of sight before each showing. This may be a good idea anyway, as it will keep things more organized once you get to the new property. It is always good to pack away all of the small decorative items, rearrange the cupboards and clean out the refrigerator. In the bathroom, throw out any toiletries that you have not used. Keep soaps and shampoos off the sink and tub area.
2. Secondly, clean your home from top to bottom. This means everything must shine and sparkle. Remove the dust from every corner of each room. Make sure that all fixtures are as sparkling clean as possible. Sinks and tubs must be grime free and thoroughly cleaned. Do what ever you can to make your house neat and well organized. Your efforts will pay off when you receive a better offer.
3. Eliminate all odors. One thing that can turn off a buyer more than anything else is a bad odor. Place a citrus or cinnamon air freshener in each room. Studies have shown that doing this gives prospects the idea that the house will be comfy-cozy.
4. Determine what the strong points of your home are and play them up. For example, if your home has beautiful hardwood floors, apply a nice coat of wax to all of them.
5. If the budget will allow, consider certain upgrades such as a fresh coat of interior wall paint. The paint needs to be a neutral hue such as beige or cream or white.

In summary, follow the above “to do” list first. Once you are in the process of staging, you will undoubtedly find other areas that also need addressing. By doing this you will probably be able to sell your property quickly and closer to the asking price.