So your property is for sale, or you’re thinking about selling, and now it’s time to get your home ready for sale! Staging can seem intimidating, but don’t worry, you don’t have to hire a professional team and spend thousands of dollars getting your home prepared! Here are some easy ways to get your house ready to go:
- De-clutter! Even the cleanest of us have a junk drawer (or junk closet…or junk room…or junk rooms. No judgment here! A cluttered house is a loved house, right?). So first thing’s first—clean up!
- Small additions can make all the difference—a new lamp shade, bright throw pillow, wine glasses set up in the kitchen, these are all small things that can make a room seem superbly put together. (Keep an eye out for our upcoming blog about how you can use the beautiful Pantone color of the year to make your home even more welcoming and sell-able)
- Spruce up that curb appeal! It’s the first thing a potential buyer sees of your property. Even if you only have a little sidewalk in front of your property, add a potted plant or two, sweep your steps until they’re spotlessly shiny, paint the front door. Buyers make their opinions of a home in the first the first 7-10 seconds of arriving. The entrance matters!
- Does your unit have a back deck? A rooftop patio? Those are big bonuses! Clean them up like you would to prep for guests. If you have the resources, add items that will help the buyer see all the potential of that space: parties, barbecues, quiet evenings with the family…you can paint a picture with cared-for plants, well-placed chairs, or simply a well-swept floor that will turn a potential buyer into a bidder!
- Set the scene: buyers need to easily envision themselves in the home. So how can you help them do that? Create spaces that are welcoming, but not personal to YOU. Clear out those personal photographs, you don’t want a potential buyer wondering what beach town your family photo was taken in instead of soaking in the beauty of your property, spend an hour or two organizing your closet (color-coordinate your shirts, perhaps?), hide your beloved yet raggedy patchwork quilt, pack up your collection of glass birds from all over the country. Think neutrals with a flare. Think Pinterest. Think clean.
- Finally, talk with your Realtor and get his/her suggestions for how you can better stage your home. We’re here to share our knowledge with you, and we’ve seen thousands of houses, from the professionally staged to the cluttery, stained, well-loved ones. We want you to be happy. And getting overwhelmed and spending money you don’t have is not our goal! Creating a staged, sell-able place within your means is exactly what we’ll help you do.
Want some visual examples? Check out the pictures below. Which ones would inspire you to make an offer on?
This could be a gorgeous space…but without any furniture, it can be difficult to really see the potential to the untrained eye. The first living space has just enough going on so you can feel the potential in the space immediately.
A little bit of turqoise color adds life to this kitchen. The kitchen below is spacious, but lacks the warmness of the one above. 
Both bedrooms pictured above have a lot going for them, they’re spacious AND light, but the professional feel of the photo above and the lack of personal touches allow the buyer to more easily imagine him/herself in the space!
Choosing a color scheme is good–but remember, a little bit goes a long way! A pop of red is good. An entire purple room can be overwhelming.
You don’t have to go crazy to make your home beautiful and ready for sale. When in doubt, you can always ask The Mike McCann Team!
