Showcase Your Home

Do you want to sell your house for top dollar? Then you need to learn how to prep and stage your property. How do you do it? Well, it's done through careful planning and knowing what the buyers are looking for. Here is a list of my suggestions that might help you think out of the box.

1. Pyschological Preparation

  • As soon as the listing sign erects on your lawn, your house is becoming a product
  • Know you have to let go the efforts you put into this house
  • Take pictures of things that are worth memorizing
  • Be ready to hand the keys over to the new owner at any minute

2. Neutralize

Do not let the buyers associate the home with your family. Taking away your photos and religious related items helps de-personalize your home, so your buyers can see themselves living there. It might be inconvenient, but it is an effective way to make your home presentable.

3. De-Clutter

Making sure your home is clear of things that you do not use frequently.

  • Things you don't need should be put away
  • Avoid having childrens' toys all over the place, put them in storage
  • Clean off everything in the kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms
  • Keep garden tools away from your lawn
  • Recycle your magazines and newspapers

4. Keep closets and cabinets organized

Buyers love to peek into your closets/cabinets. Leaving things in there messy and unorganized leaves a bad impression. Well organized life style tells the buyers that you take a good care of your home. So this is what we do to impress them:

  • Categorize spice jars
  • Neatly stack clothings/dishes/towels
  • Line up shoes

5. Put Away Favorite Items

Things, such as, window curtains or chandeliers that you want to take away when you move, should be removed and stored right away. It saves you time and trouble dealing with buyers who are sensitive and do not like being rejected when asking for a deal.

6. Minor Repairs To Be Taken Care of

  • Oil the creaky doors/drawers/windows and fix them if they don't close properly
  • Replace cracked floor or counter tiles
  • Patch holes in walls
  • Fix leaky faucets
  • Replace burned-out light bulbs

7. Make the House Sparkle

  • Vacuum
  • Dust furniture, blends and light fixtures
  • Replace worn rugs
  • Hang up fresh and fastened towels
  • Make sure no odors are present
  • Wash windows inside and out
  • Power wash your side-walk and exterior
  • Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks
  • Polish chrome faucets and mirrors
  • Clean out the refrigerator

8. General Appearance

No matter how neat your house looks like inside, an unpresentable outside appearance might ruin your entire efforts. To make sure the buyers will scurry into your house, check the following list:

  • Paint worn-out window trim
  • Keep the sidewalks clean and cleared
  • Mow the lawn, unroot weeds
  • Trim your bushes
  • Make sure your house number is clear and readable

*Please note that the comments contained on this page are for information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.