You’ve decided it’s time to sell your Lamorinda home, so now what? Whether you are selling to downsize, upsize, or you are moving closer to your kids and grandchildren, a few minor touch-ups can go a long way toward positively influencing potential buyers. Here are 22 tips to prepare your home for a successful sale.
Home Valuation – The first item to consider is getting a good home valuation. Sure you could go on Zillow and get a Zestimate, but even Zillow’s CEO’s home was wildly mis-valued. His home sold earlier this year after 237 days on the market, for 40% BELOW THE ZESTIMATE!! Get The Best Lamorinda Home Valuation Here For Free, No Obligation. Obtaining a good home valuation will get you off on the right foot.
Paint Walls With Neutral Colors – Tans and whites enable potential buyers to focus on the spaces instead of the color of the walls.
Clear Out The Clutter – You’re planning on moving anyway, right? Pack it up and get it out of sight. Visit a model home in a new development. Do you see any shoes by the door? Closets jam-packed with clothes and stuff? Kitchen countertops that can’t be seen? You get the idea.
Pack Up Personal Items – Family photos make buyer’s feel like they are visiting somebody else’s house. You want them to envision themselves living there.
Clean Everything! – This is one area it pays to hire a professional service, one that cleans homes specifically for the purpose of selling the home. They know to clean every inch.
Do The Honey-Do’s – A well-maintained home gives buyers a good feeling about the house. Creaky doors, loose door knobs, that light bulb way up high, a leaky faucet, that gate that doesn’t close quite right. You get the idea.
Organize Closets – Buyers will definitely open every closet. Storage space is a big factor, so have them well-organized. Pack it up, you are moving anyway.
Pay Attention To Smells – This is where having a good friend come over and sniff around will help. We become desensitized to Fido’s smells, or that other smell, whatever it might be. Also, don’t cook something that will leave a lingering, unpleasant smell a few days before the open house.
Simplify Decor – Nothing potentially offensive. I once saw on Broker’s tour a picture of the owner of the house for sale proudly kneeling next to his trophy kill, one hand on the rack and the other hand holding his rifle. I suggested to the listing agent she might want to take that picture down. She agreed.
Make it Light! – Open all of the windows to allow the natural light in. Add floor or table lamps to any dimly lit areas. Make it bright and cheery. Brightness makes the space look bigger too.
“Minor” Renovations – Cabinet hinges and handles are easy to update and can give a room a better look. Same applies to faucets if they are outdated. A slip cover on a couch or new pillows can also do the job.
Get Rid of Bulky Furniture – Sometimes no furniture is the best “staging” for a small room. Any furniture that does not fit the scale of the room should be removed. Remember, you are moving anyway.
Indoor Plants – Actual live plants can add energy to a room. Color can accentuate spaces or fill in an empty space.
Show Potential Buyers How The Space Is Used – A throw blanket on the couch, a book by the comfy chair, breakfast in bed in the master bedroom with a view.
Close The Lid – Self explanatory. It actually matters. This goes for men and women!
Living Room Furniture Arrangement – Do so in a way that invites group conversation amongst family and friends. Help potential buyers imagine.
Each Room a Function – Stage each room to serve a specific purpose. It might be a bedroom, it might be an office, or an art studio, or a home gym.
Bathroom/Spa – Relaxing and luxurious does not have to equal expensive. Take a look around the next time you are at the spa. A few scented candles with bathmats and towels in happy, relaxing color tones will do the job.
Draw Attention To Focal Points – Photographers always have something red with them to add to a picture for drawing attention to something in their composition. A nice plant can also work to highlight a space.
Open Flow – Buyers have a pattern in walking properties. Bumping into furniture or being blocked from spaces creates a disturbance in their flow. Walk your house as if you were the buyer and remove or rearrange any furniture causing a break in flow.
First Impressions – How does your house look from the car? How about when you walk up to the front door? The path should be clean and clear. Gardening should be dialed in. The front door should be in good condition. Fresh flowers go a long way. People get a strong feeling even before entering the house.
And when it’s finally time to open your house up to potential buyers…
Bake Something That Smells Super Yummy – The tried and true, go-to baking for that feel good aroma is…chocolate chip cookies.