Selling a Home
What’s your next move?
Highest Price. Shortest Time. Best Terms.
Prior to implementing any marketing strategies, the first step is going through the discovery process. This process is all about determining the fair market value, understanding the barometer of current market conditions, and reviewing the variety of factors that will help prepare for sale.
Seller’s To-Do List
Make the first impression: First impressions are everything, especially when it comes to selling your home. Keep things looking fresh by just doing some simple things: Run a paintbrush over the front door and door jamb and replace your front door mat with a new one. Create a colorful entrance with bright annuals and perennials to attract attention from the street. Consider light decorating depending on the season; as an example, pumpkins and gourds for the autumn season or tulips in oversized pots for early spring. Your home’s front door makes an overall first impression on buyers as they enter. Make it shine!
Fix the small stuff: What feels like something little may turn into something big for someone who is shopping for a new home. When potential buyers show up you want to think of that first impression once again. Therefore, clear any debris and clutter from the walkway and yard, get that lawn mowed and prune your hedges. Fix any broken screens, doorbells, roof tiles, shingles and even outdoor lighting. Repair or replace those broken or outdated hardware throughout the house to give it a fresh new look. Don’t stop there though because, a new set of doorknobs can make an incredible difference. Also consider those fixtures that are readily visible to homebuyers such as faucets, towel bars and curtain rods. A rather inexpensive touch-up can make a huge difference.
Stage with light: As anyone who’s watched a show on HGTV knows, lighting makes an incredible impression. To start, try changing out decorative light fixtures that no longer fit your home's cleaner, fresher look. Make sure all of the lights have working bulbs while focusing on ambient, low-key lighting to fill a room. Even try directional/task lighting for spaces like a reading nook or office. Use accent lighting to highlight focal points in a room, such as the artwork above a mantle, to draw the eye to the place you want it to go.
Cleanliness: Buyers tend to scrutinize homes, especially kitchens and bathrooms. With just a few simple fixes you can create a fresh, clean visual. Start by re-caulking and touching up any paint to give these high-use spaces a new and clean look. Run a carpet cleaner over carpets to remove odors and stains. Tidy each room, including cabinets, closets and the garage all before showing. This can seem like a lot, but don’t forget I also partner with cleaning companies and handypersons to help with that list!
Treat your windows: The right window treatments can enhance natural brightness to the entire home. This will highlight the views, even impact a room's temperature by reducing or increasing the amount of light entering the space, and really just boost the overall appearance of the home. Adjust window treatments appropriately when showing your home in the mornings, afternoon, and evenings.
Small footprints: Don't leave children's toys and pet belongings out in the open during showings and open houses; the goal is that home buyers can see themselves in the home. Hide litter boxes, pet dishes, toys, animal crates and kids' entertainment to less conspicuous areas of the home, such as an outdoor storage unit, closet or garage before each showing. Keep the backyard looking spacious and functional, picking up after small feet and paws so buyers feel comfortable touring the yard.
Creating a Vignette
Staging a home is an art—and a well-staged home helps your ideal buyer visualize their story in your home. An important tool for every home, staging is especially critical for empty homes. Without staging to create context, buyers often struggle to see themselves in a vacant home.
We start with a deep clean and home audit that clears out many personal items, as they can make it more difficult for buyers to connect emotionally with a home. Then professional stagers style your home to achieve an aesthetic that will attract the buyers you seek. Our stagers are true artists and will deftly highlight your home’s best features while minimizing any drawbacks.
Staging your home is a smart investment. The Real Estate Staging Association reports that 90% of staged homes are sold within a month of listing. What’s more, they report staging costs an average of 1% of the home’s value — and typically results in about 1000% return on that cost. On average, a staged home will sell for 17% more than an unstaged home.
Home Staging Resource reports that homes that are professionally staged garner a sales price up to 17% higher than a home without staging.
