In all candor, this article could be 10 pages long. After 20 years I’ve come to understand that buyers want and how to present your house to make it most attractive to them. Reach out to me if you want a more comprehensive guide on this topic.
1) MAKE REPAIRS – We all have deferred maintenance issues, and you might as well get them out of the way. Obvious deficiencies will make buyers think you’re a bad homeowner, and more subtle ones found by inspectors will cost you later.
2) REPAINT IN NEUTRAL COLORS – Those purple walls your daughter just had to have served her well, but not a lot of buyers will appreciate them. I know they‘re boring, but neutral colors often allow buyers to see themselves in your property.
3) DECLUTTER & CLEAN – It’s amazing what we can get used to and not see if it’s there everyday, guys especially, and it’s an incredibly rare homeowner whose property is always in “showing condition” (I’d say about 5%). It’s not a knock on your skills as a homemaker.
4) DEPERSONALIZE – I’m a bit more lax than most Realtors when it comes to this, but it’s true an excessive number of pictures makes it difficult to see themselves in your property. That said, photos of life events or vacations can do the opposite. A young couple buying their first home together might like seeing (LIMITED) pictures of your newborn, or a trip to Europe. Professionally-taken photos are usually the best.
5) STAGE – This is one of my hardest sales as a listing agent: the notion that you have to spend money to make money. The necessity for staging is very subjective, and you have to be honest with yourself and listen to your Realtor. Not every room has to be staged, but main rooms – especially “open concept”, should have something to add warmth to open spaces.
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