With many of us spending a lot more time at home these days, we are acutely aware of the amount of clutter in our spaces, and those pesky repairs that need attending to. If you’re thinking about selling in the near future, and have a little extra time on your hands, it’s the perfect opportunity to get your home one step closer to being ready to sell.
Having buyers emotionally connect with your property within the first few seconds is imperative to achieving the best sale price. For many properties, the process of staging is an impactful way to connect with buyers. Often your Agent will coordinate with their designer to lay out a personalized plan for staging and repairs. This includes determining what furniture and decor to bring in, and what to remove in order to best showcase your home. They also will have recommendations for repairs and touch-ups to get your property in top shape.
The following are general items that you can start to chip away at as you’re preparing to get ready to sell your home (regardless of your staging plan). Addressing these common issues can have a big impact on how your home resonates with buyers:
- Downsize and De-clutter – your home will feel so much larger when it’s tidy and clear of clutter. Doing a purge of household items and furniture can go a long way to making a space feel more open and welcoming. The same goes for storage spaces, cupboards, and closets. Where it’s possible, remove items so that storage spaces are only at 50% capacity. This makes them appear much larger. Storage organizers can go a long way in making this a less painful process.
- De-personalize – Family photos and personal art is part of what makes your space your home. When preparing to sell, however, it’s better to present a more neutral canvas. While you may not want to remove these keepsakes too far in advance, you can make note of those items around the house and have a plan for storing them during the sale period.
- Repairs – Taking care of repairs around the house can go a long way to helping buyers feel confident about the quality of the home. This can include items such as re-grouting bathrooms, fixing windows, replacing light fixtures, and repairing appliances. Your Agent can help you identify which items to prioritize with your budget, and which items will have the greatest impact.
- Paint – A new coat of neutral paint is one the most effective ways to freshen up your home. In addition to a fresh coat, touching-up marks on baseboards, doors, and other visible surfaces have a big impact. You can consult with your Agent and their designer about which colours are the most popular.
- Curb Appeal – While this isn’t as applicable to condo owners as it is for houses, curb appeal is very important to first impressions. Tidying up the yard, new landscaping, concealing or repositioning recycle/garbage bins, and power washing surfaces can all give your house a clean and tidy look. Take a walk from the street to your home and see what you notice.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can impact the sales process, check out this blog. We look at how goal setting and mentally preparing yourself for the sale process can make a big difference.
Photo by Creatv Eight on Unsplash
