How to Prepare Your Home to Sell

“Closing time. Every new…” There I go singing that popular 2000s song! Haha! But it sure does feel like closing time when it’s time to sell your home and move onto another place. You may be feeling ready to go, or you may feel overwhelmed. Whatever you are feeling, I’ve got some tips and tricks on how to prepare to sell your home and sell it more quickly!

Step One: Let it Go
Back to the songs again! This time I’m thinking of my 5-year-old’s favorite tune. This is very applicable. Let. It. Go! Let it all go. What I’m really saying (as gently as possible): It’s no longer your house! You are trying to sell your home. Let go of the sentimental value. Let go of feeling like you need all your personal items exactly where they are. Let go of your favorite paint colors, your items, your furniture—you get the drift! In order for you to sell your home quicker and usually for more money, you need to let go of the YOU in your home. You need to make the space feel inviting for the NEW. These new people walking into your home need to connect with your home. There are some great ways to do this!

Step Two: A Change Would Do You Good
As Sheryl Crow says, “A Change Would Do You Good!” After you let go of you in your space, it’s time for change. There are a few ways you can quickly accomplish this:

1. Staging
   Hiring a really great professional home stager is ALWAYS worth the money. We learned this the hard way. We had a house that sat on the market for 30 days. We then opted to have the house staged. As soon as we did this and relisted, we had an offer. We would NEVER NOT stage a home we are selling again. Good staging makes the buyer walk in and feel connected with your home. Whether it's rearranging furniture to make the rooms feel larger, it invites the buyer to love the space.

2. Decluttering
   Decluttering a space gives it some breath and always makes it feel larger. Put away everything that you can! Leave out minimal items. Think, hand soap at the sinks, a plant here and there, a few vases or décor items—you get the idea. The rest is great to store in a basement, attic, storage shed, or just get rid of it!

3. Depersonalizing
   Most people keep pictures of family throughout their home. Yet, when you are trying to sell a home, you want the home to feel like home to the buyers walking through. Take down all of your personal photography throughout the home. This way, the buyers will feel like it is their home instead of your home.

4. Change Your Colors
   It’s a scientific fact that color makes you feel a certain way. You may love Bumblebee Yellow or Bashful Burgundy, but it may make your buyers feel quite the opposite. If you have the time and extra cash, make your home as neutral a palette as possible. It’s okay to keep some color, but remember a larger pool of buyers prefers white, taupe, and gray tones.

5. Clean and Tidy
   Invite over friends, ask for help from neighbors or family, hire a cleaner—whatever it takes—CLEAN YOUR HOUSE! This will have an immediate effect on buyers, and they won’t want to step foot in a really dirty home. Whether it's cigarette smoke, dirt, debris, or bugs, take care of the problem or it can affect the purchasing power of your home.

Step Three: The Finer Things Keep Shining Through
Okay!!! Last one! Steve Winwood says it best, “The finer things keep shining through.” Marketing and photography will make your house SHINE or FAIL. INVEST in the best! Use a pro realtor. I’ve been told that you always sell your home for more money when you use a realtor. While I would agree with this, I don’t have statistics to back this up. However, Investopedia has a great article HERE that gives additional reasons why you should use a realtor, and we HANDS DOWN agree! Your realtor should use a STELLAR home photographer to make your house look like a million bucks! If not, move on and find another. When your home is listed for sale, the photography will either draw potential buyers to your home or they will pass right on by. Again, marketing the house to the right buyers, at the right price, with shiny pictures, will help you sell, sell, sell.

-With love, Home Made

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