5 Steps to Sell a Home for More Money
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Staging – 5 Easy Ways to Sell Your Home For More Money
Thinking about putting your home on the market this spring? Are you going to be a home seller or just another host of a Los Gatos ‘home for sale’? It’s never too early to start planning for your upcoming home for sale. And there’s a lot to think about. Perhaps one of the most crucial pieces to finding that perfect buyer is staging your home for sale properly. And that means…..de-cluttering.
Having a lot of clutter lying around the house tends to tell prospective buyers that “this house is your place, not theirs”…..never a good message to send. Removing clutter will not only make your home appear clean, well maintained, and move-in ready, but will also give you the added benefit of helping you relax after a stressful day of work. Here are seven tips on how to de-clutter your home.
1. Prepare for a de-cluttering marathon. This is a big, sometimes emotionally draining task and is best tackled in small bites. You’ll want to gather some de-cluttering tools before you begin. Garbage bags, boxes, and dusting cloths can be most helpful. If you find yourself having trouble staying organized throughout the process you may want to start three piles labeled “throw out”, “put away”, and “charity.” This approach will keep you from throwing out things you want to save, and saving things you want to throw out.
2. Throw out old, unused stuff that tends to find itself on countertops and shelving such as junk mail, bills, receipts, etc…. Outdated paperwork can also find its way into drawers and closets. Potential buyers want to see San Jose homes for sale that have lots of counter space, not your mail or last Sunday’s paper. So don’t let the junk mail keep you from receiving an offer.
3. Sort through closets to find extra storage space. If your closets are overflowing with “stuff”, it may be time to do some closet purging. Potential buyers love to see storage space when they open closets. If the buyer’s eye goes directly to the boxes, cloths and clutter, they won’t notice all the great storage space you have. Overflowing closets also have the habit of telling buyers that your home doesn’t have enough storage. But not to worry, there is an easy fix to the full closet….. If you haven’t used something in a year, throw it out.
4. Clean off book shelves to give your room an open, lighter feeling. Again, buyers are looking for a Los Gatos home that has lots of storage space and if your shelving is packed with stuff, buyers will assume your home doesn’t have enough storage. Maintaining well organized, half-full book shelves also gives the appearance of space and can make a room feel larger than it actually is. And don’t forget to pack up the majority of your personal pictures when staging a home for sale. You want potential buyers to see themselves in your home.
5. Maintaining clear kitchen countertops has the potential to visually double the size of your kitchen. Always a good thing. The golden rule for countertops is to have no more than two appliances sitting on the counter. Los Gatos homes for sale that feature vast expanses of countertop space will have a competitive advantage in today’s buyer’s market. And it would be a shame to miss out on an offer because kitchen clutter overshadowed your fabulous countertop space.
Then you are on your way to the 26 seller tips.
And last, but not least, celebrate! If you’ve managed to de-clutter your entire home, then you deserve a pat on the back. You’ve just completed the most inexpensive remodel of your home possible. Potential buyers will see the value in your work and you will, quite possibly, be rewarded with a higher offer!
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