It’s no
longer a rumor that the real estate market has taken a big hit in recent
months, it is fact.
And our
little “bubble in paradise” may not be bursting, but it does have a slow leak.
Just driving around the area you will definitely notice the increase in
for-sale signs posted out front of properties.
As a devoted,
but not obsessed, follower of the real estate section, I have watched as prices
continued to drop with no effect on slumping sales. I have to believe that
there is another contributing factor to this dilemma. As a matter of fact, I
know there is, because when I visit open houses, I am often horrified at how
sellers present their homes to potential buyers.
Who is going
to see the potential in a new home if they can’t even look past the front door?
The goal is to make your home the standard to which every other listing wants
to aspire. This should help get your home sold quickly -- and hopefully for the
amount you are asking.
Now, of
course, I am not a real estate agent, and I can’t say that your interior
presentation is the only reason that your house is not selling. I haven’t seen
your house, and there could be other factors involved. I do know though that by
clearing out and cleaning up, your house will show much better.
The reality
is that if you want your house to sell for the price you’re asking, you need to
plan on putting in some real time getting it there. This means work my friends.
Plan on spending several days if not weeks getting everything pulled together.
Depending on your budget and the amount of work to do, you may want to hire
some help. Or if you have wonderful friends and family around, maybe offer up a
barbecue and some beverages in payment for their help. Remember, do whatever it
takes to get the job done.
Have a
meeting and walk through your home with your Realtor if you are working with
one. They should be able to point out areas in your home that may need some
changes. Walk through and take notes of what needs to be done so you can plan
your budget. You may also want to talk to someone who actually stages homes.
They can work one on one with you to create a list of things that need to be
improved and they can even get the work done for you.
It is
important to remember that even though you are still living in your home, the
idea is to make it attractive to someone else and allow them to visualize what
they can do. Leaving all of your family photos out on walls and tables doesn’t
allow the potential buyer to imagine it becoming their home. How can a buyer
possibly tell whether his or her bedroom furniture is going to work in the
master if the home owner’s wedding picture is hanging on the wall next to the
bed?
Also,
remember to clean up your closets and cabinets. I have opened up closets and
been shocked at the amount of stuff shoved into every single crevice. If you’re
packed in, buyers will get the idea that the home is short on storage space.
Another big
bone of contention with me is when the kitchen counters are cluttered with
appliances so that it doesn’t appear that there is any work space. Put things
away that you don’t use everyday. Leave a coffee maker if you must, but really
try to keep things simple and clean. No bread crumbs on the counters or stains
in your grout please. I have seen it. Yuk! Make sure the dish washer is empty,
and that the refrigerator has absolutely none of little Billy’s school projects
on it. Make sure that when showing your home that there is as much natural
light as possible. Open windows and keep window treatments to a minimum. The
feeling of an open and airy space is always a big plus with home buyers.