JAN PATRICK

Presenting a home in “Showcase” condition enables a Seller to both expedite the sale of the property as well as receive the highest possible price. Sellers should seriously consider the following six steps to place their home in the best condition:

1. Plan Ahead

Many of our clients contact us months in advance to receive advice regarding how best to prepare their homes for sale in order to achieve the highest price possible.  To hold maximum value in your home, you must plan to put it in its very best condition.

2. Deep Clean

Beyond routine cleaning, Sellers should conduct a deep cleaning of the home in which every surface, every window, every fixture of the home is made to sparkle and shine.  Windows, ceiling fans, baseboards, blinds, carpets and floors should all be addressed.  Strong odors including pet odors should be eliminated before marketing the property.

3. Removing clutter

It is in the Sellers best interest to remove and pack away extraneous possessions before placing the home on the market.  Closets should be cleaned out and organized, knickknacks removed, and excess furniture stored away to ensure that rooms appear open and inviting.

4. Depersonalizing

Sellers are well-advised to remove most of their family photographs and personal collections.   As Buyers attempt to envision the home as their own, the Sellers’ personal possessions and collections can become distracting.  Rather than focusing on the amenities of the property, Buyers can become too absorbed in possessions that are not relevant to the purchase, failing to appreciate the benefits of the property itself.

5. See That Repairs Have Been Made

In putting your home in its best condition, be certain to make all needed repairs prior to placing your home on the market.   We find that Buyers always overestimate the cost of a repair, thereby significantly reducing the amount they are willing to pay for a home, and in some cases, they may be unwilling to even make an offer.  Buyers are wary of homes that reflect deferred maintenance fearing that when visible components of the home have not been maintained, less visible systems and components will be in poor condition as well.

6. Decorating, Accessorizing and Home Staging

In preparing a home for the market, a fresh coat of neutral paint can provide an excellent return for the cost invested.  In addition, if carpeting is stained, dated or worn, replacing it with neutral off-white carpeting can completely elevate the appearance of the home.  A well-placed vase of flowers, green plants, accent pieces of sculpture, potpourri in the bathroom – all add to the attractiveness of your home in a subtle, soft-spoken way.

Home staging can be accomplished on many different levels, from a thorough cleaning to a complete remodeling.  Some investments reap much more than their costs, while others will never be recovered.  To insure that you have correctly identified the course of action that will provide an acceptable return for the cost invested, it is wise to seek the counsel of an experienced real estate agent.