By Ron Rovtar
Cherry Creek Properties LLC
303.981.1617
Articles and posts about preparing a home for sale appear regularly in print and electronic media.
So, if you clicked on this post after reading its somewhat immodest headline, I assume you seek information and approaches that may not have been rehashed elsewhere a hundred times.
Count on it!
But, before I discuss other things, let me emphasize that most common wisdom about styling your home for sale is extremely useful.
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| Start with basics: fix-up, paint-up, declutter, depersonalize. |
You definitely should clean until it hurts; pay careful attention to maintaining the yard and home exterior; catch up on deferred maintenance; paint where necessary; replace wherever is appropriate; declutter by storing away many knick-knacks and extra furniture; depersonalize by removing most family pictures and other items that express family member's personalities.
Getting rid of clutter can be among the harder tasks because much of the "clutter" comes from items we use everyday. Purchasing several large light-weight plastic bins can be a great solution. These will help you quickly vanquish tools, kitchen/bath appliances, children's toys and other small things that seem to multiply between showings.
Just before a showing, collect everything into the bins and cart it out to the garage or, better yet, the storage shed in the back yard, if one exists.
Okay! That takes care of the most basic advice you've probably have seen elsewhere.
So, let's move on to the advanced lesson.
Subconsciously, your buyers are looking for a warm, safe, clean and orderly environment. In their imagination, the home they buy will offer a new start.
Life will be better.
So, beyond basic decluttering, you will remove everything that encourages thoughts, feeling, or ideas that distract from a more idyllic impression of daily existence.
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| Hide most counter top kitchen appliances for showings. |
Start by stowing away violent electronic game packaging, pet toys/food bowls and anything political. Most personal memorabilia also should go away.
Sorry teenagers! It's time to pack away those wall posters. The rock 'n' roll gods will understand.
(We will discuss items that should be put away for safety reasons later)
Owners should consider buying new bath and kitchen towels, shower curtains and, sometimes, bed covers or quilts, all for display during showings, but not for use until the house is sold. A nice unopened basket of fancy soaps, bubble bath, shampoo, etc. can make the bath seem an inviting place to relax.
I hate to ask sellers to buy new furniture. But it occasionally can be a good idea. If your large table makes the dining room seem crowded, finding a smaller table may be the best solution.
Sometimes installing new electric and plumbing fixtures will make the home seem much more up-to-date.
Don't go overboard. Do a little online and in-store bargain-hunting here. Last year's designer fixtures will do fine for your purposes, as will lower-priced copycat fixtures. Choose items with simple contemporary lines unless your home has a definite architectural style inside and out –– Cape Cod, Victorian, Mid-Century Modern, etc.
For safety, have the new electric and plumbing fixtures installed by a professional. Electricity is dangerous. And the last thing you need right now is dripping plumbing that creates a flood while you sleep.
Whatever you do, avoid big remodeling projects. Large projects seldom pay for themselves when a home sells.
When cleaning, don't forget those places you rarely bother with. Sweep and tidy the garage. Give an unfinished basement the same treatment.
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| New bed covers and bath towels can make a big difference in how buyers perceive your home. |
Definitely clean off the tops of the furnace, hot water heater, water softener and anything else in the mechanicals room.
Take a look up and see if there is a lot of dust on the pipes and duct work. If so, clean them.
Opening the door to a dusty furnace room can destroy the illusion of freshness and orderliness you've worked so hard to create in the living spaces.
I still caution sellers about painting walls anything but neutral colors. This may sound old fashioned now that rich colors are in very much in style. And it is true that good use of colors can be very effective.
But choosing hues is more difficult that you think.
Few of us really have good color sense and fewer still have the eye it takes for mixing and matching colors. Colors interact in strange and unpredictable ways. If you will use colors, it is best to get expert advice from a designer.
Now it is time to start putting everything back together. This is where it gets fun. You've depersonalized and spruced up the old place, but you don't want the house to appear sterile.
Here's a secret many professionals won't tell you. You can overdo styling, decluttering, depersonalizing.
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| Many rooms will appear larger with small furniture. |
As part of decluttering, you've removed a lot of family photos, hobby collections, children's artwork and personal memorabilia.
After some thought you will replace one or two strategically chosen family photos to add some life. These should be happy/positive images with smiles all around. Photos of family members doing something fun in the yard can be very appealing.
Don't use photos from out-of-town trips. They're too far off message.
One or two carefully chosen examples of a child's artwork can be displayed in the child's room or an informal family space. Chosen well, youthful art can bring wide smiles to buyers' faces. Look for positive, even funny, messages. Kids have great senses of humor!
Now that you've removed some furniture and the rest is rearranged to make rooms seem larger, some focal points should be introduced.
Items that will attract the eye and hold attention help enormously. When nothing grabs attention, the eye keeps seeking a place to settle, which can be mildly uncomfortable.
In living spaces, an attractive book can be left on a coffee table or end table. A colorful art or photography book works well. A book about your local area may get a lot of attention. Buyers often pick up and thumb through local guides and histories.
In the kitchen, a book of recipes open to a page with a photo of an extremely appetizing dish works wonders. Think sweets and desserts. Avoid headlines that refer to alcohol, which can have a negative connotation for some.
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| New fixtures help, even where more major updating might be needed. Don't start major projects just before you list your home. |
In the family room, you might neatly arrange an unfinished game or a partly completed large puzzle on a table or workspace. These speak of enjoyable time with loved-ones.
Other focal points can include live flowers, large vases with artful arrangements of grasses or dried flowers, or large, simple, wall art.
I have a framed painting comprised mostly of a single large Chinese character in black on a white background. It really captures attention when someone walks into the room.
Welcoming buyers into your home with a short letter in a plastic holder is a nice touch.
Buyers like to know you value their time. They like to know that you have enjoyed living in the home and the surrounding community. They can be curious about why you are moving and may want to assure themselves your motive for leaving is a positive one, not a problem with the neighborhood.
All of these subjects can be addressed honestly in a short letter.
But keep it vague, too. Divulge neither private information nor information that might be used against you during negotiations. Never let buyers know you feel pressure to sell or move quickly, that your price is flexible or that you expect to make concessions.
But you cannot stop here. I've seen perfectly-staged homes that looked and felt absolutely dead during a showings.
The reasons are simple. The owners did all the hard work, but did not finish the job.
First of all, the value of good lighting is enormous!
The good news is you don't need to be a lighting expert. And the solution in homes is extremely easy. Before showings, turn on every light and open every window shade in the house. (One exception: do not open shades when the view is unattractive.)
Indoor lighting is especially important because it is warmer. But, more important, light coming from from multiple directions literally creates sparkle as it reflects from shiny objects.
It also creates a subtle sense of motion and excitement as highlights on everyday objects move, change, even blink in and out of existence as people navigate the room. It's not something people notice consciously. But it does make an impression, and it is a good one.
And don't forget, we have five sense, not just one.
I suggest sellers turn on soft music during showings. Classical is an excellent choice. Jazz also creates a nice atmosphere. Stay away from Rock and popular music.
Music should be playing in the background, not loud enough to interfere with conversation; just enough to create a sense of elegance during lulls in the dialogue.
A very subtle air spray can help a lot. Don't overdo it!
Leave out small candies, including chocolate. Some alternative edible should be offered because some people are allergic to, or get migraines from, chocolate. Sweets on the kitchen counter can entice buyers and agents to stop and talk for a few minutes while your beautiful styling job is fresh in their minds.
Very soft or fuzzy items on furniture and beds invite touches, which has a calming effect. Were you present, you would see smiles.
Pay special attention to safety issues. Buyers open drawers and cabinets. They peak in places you've probably not inspected in years. Hide prescription medications, valuables, money, jewelry and other precious items where they will not be found.
Securely lock up weapons, especially firearms. Turn off computers with valuable identity information. Do not leave anything out that would give away a child's name. There are predators in the world. To a child, someone who knows your name and where you live may not seem like a "stranger."
Before you start showings, tour your own home with a video or still camera. Photograph everything in case something is stolen or damaged. Collecting from your insurance company will be easier if you can show the adjuster what was stolen or what a damaged item looked like before.
One last yet extremely important piece of advice: sellers absolutely must banish pet smells, tobacco odors and other offensive aromas. Homes with unpleasant smells can be very hard to sell.
No, let me rephrase. Homes with unpleasant smells are impossible to sell.
Ridding a house of distasteful fragrances may seem obvious. However, owners of smelly homes rarely know a problem exists because they are used to the odors. And they often find it unbelievable or offensive when someone mentions the issue.
My advice: if your agent or your friends mention odors, take it very seriously. No one would bring this to your attention were it not true.
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Ron Rovtar, Cherry Creek Properties, LLC, is a broker associate in Boulder, CO. Please call Ron with all your questions. He can be reached at 303.981.1617. To learn more about Ron, please visit his website. For more about life in Boulder County and nearby, check out our facebook page. Ron Rovtar does business as Front Range Real Estate, Ltd. All photos © Ron Rovtar
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