Going From ‘For Sale’ To ‘Sold’
Going From ‘For Sale’ To ‘Sold’
Sellers can improve the look of their home by hiring a real estate agent with expertise in preparing homes to sell, or by bringing in a professional stager, a trained expert who arranges your home to maximize its appeal to the broadest swath of buyers. Home-staging experts say successful selling is about presentation. Here are two key ways to ensure a winning look:
Clean: “People think their homes are clean, but we all get used to our own dirt,” says Schwarz, who recommends hiring a cleaning service or soliciting a nitpicky third party for feedback on a home’s cleanliness. Along with the obvious such as made beds, spotless bathrooms and pristine floors, attention should extend to cupboards, doors, baseboards and moldings. Also check outside decks, walkways and landscaping. “People forget side yards,” Schwarz adds. “Get tarps and two-by-fours out of there.”
Clutter: A home for sale shouldn’t be bare, but it should be depersonalized. “America is cluttered to pieces,” laments Schwarz. “You’re not hiring a Realtor to sell your things. Pack it up now, and save yourself time and stress later on.” With a less-is-more mantra, view your home through the eyes of a potential buyer. Think of it like a job interview, when you present yourself in the most favorable light, suggests Valerie Smith, an agent with Sotheby’s in Princeton, N.J. “When a buyer walks into the room, all the lights are on, the fireplace is going if it’s gas, there is soft music in the background,” she says. “We’re going to create this space where someone comes in and they really don’t want to leave.”
