Before: Clutter distracts and will lower value of your home
After: Buyers can envision enjoying this space!
My Realtor clients have heard me say “The way we live and the way we sell are two different things” to every client I meet. I know, I am not one to talk, clutter is a very real part of my life and I fight with myself over it daily! However, when you are selling your home, it becomes a piece of merchandise, and we all know that buyers respond either in a positive or negative way to how a product, looks.
If your listed home is full of clutter, buyers will assume several things:
!. The seller does not care enough to merchandise their home properly therefore they may accept a lower offer.
2. The potential buyer may think that the house is not properly cared for and will turn away and look at a more appealing house.
3. Potential buyers will be distracted by the clutter and will not see the best features of the house.
4. The first impressions buyers see are the photographs on the RMLS, if buyers see clutter they may be turned off and you loose potential traffic right from the start!
Big reasons to take on the task of de cluttering BEFORE you put your house on the market!
Following are 10 Easy de cluttering tips to get you started and to help prepare for selling your home:
1. Prepare to move, this is a great way to get started and will help you in the long run mentally to prepare for viewing your house as a product. Start by packing all the things you do not use on a regular basis, and then move to the items that you do not need or want any longer. Donate sell or throw away!
2. If you have a “collection” whether it’s tea pots, albums, books or seashells, pack it! Buyers will be distracted.
3. If you have something that is smaller than a large grapefruit, it will appear as clutter. Remove it.
4. Group decorative items in groups of three, going from tall, medium, small. The items will be more pleasing to the eye.
5. Purchase some baskets or containers to place your personal grooming items in, in order to store them quickly for open house’s. Buyers do not like seeing personal items in bathrooms.
6. If you have children, give them a basket to throw items in and store away as well. Toys strewn about are not appealing to buyers, same for fido and kitty, have a container that you can place their toys in and then store away.
7. In order to showcase your kitchen, be sure that worn utensil’s, kitchen knives, refrigerator magnets and all dirty dishes are put away, Kitchens are possibly the top selling feature and must be presented as best as possible!
8. Make your bed everyday and be sure that your clothes are neatly hung.
9. Personal photos should be packed away, buyers will have a hard time envisoning themselves living in your home if you have personal photos everywhere.
10. Rent a Pod or a storage unit if needed. it will be worth the extra expense!
Just think of it this way, Your house is going on a blind date and it needs to look it’s very best!
Good luck and if you need help give us a call! We offer consultations as well as staging help, to properly prepare your listed home in order to gain a quick and profitable sale!