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Improve The Look Of Your Home To
Improve Its Sale
During the last few years, sellers who staged their homes for sale
reaped huge profits. It was a seller's market in which buyers
grossly outnumbered sellers. There were plenty of buyers who were
willing to pay a premium for a home that looked like a dream. But,
the market has changed. Will staging still payoff for sellers in a
today's softening real estate market?
Some sellers will shun the idea of fixing up their home for sale
because the upside potential, or return on the dollars invested, is
limited. When the market is racing upwards, it's easy for sellers to
justify putting money into preparing their homes for sale. But, why
make the effort if the potential reward is diminished?
The
best reason to consider improving the look of your home before
marketing it is to improve your chances of selling in a more
challenging market. Most buyers are turned off by a messy, dirty,
tired-looking home. This is particularly the case when there are
plenty of listings to choose from, as there are in many areas today.
Some staging projects -- like painting and changing worn floor
coverings -- usually do payback a premium on the amount invested.
But, even if you were to only recoup the money you invested, it
would be worth the effort if it improves your chance of selling and
reduces the amount of time you're on the market.
It
may be even more important to stage your home in a softening market
than it is in an extremely low inventory seller's market, such as
the one we are leaving. Most buyers have difficulty envisioning how
a house will look cleaned up. First impressions are lasting. If your
home smacks of deferred maintenance, it will leave a negative
impression with most buyers.
HOME SELLER TIP:
Staging your home for sale needn't cost you a fortune. There's a lot
you can do yourself to improve the appeal of your home. If you've
lived in your home for several years, you probably have too many
possessions. De-cluttering the living space does wonders to enhance
the appearance.
Pack up knick-knacks and family photos. They are distracting. Remove
excess pieces of furniture, particularly small pieces like end
tables and footstools. A lot of small rugs make a room look smaller.
Consider removing some or all of them.
House and outdoor plants add warmth and interest. But, avoid
arrangements of small pots. One large plant, or large planted pot,
is usually preferable to a lot of little pots.
Pay
attention to the traffic flow in your home. Furniture should be
arranged so that prospective buyers will have an easy time
navigating your home. Buyers should be able to walk through a room
without being impeded by a piece of furniture.
In
most cases, the bigger a home appears the better. If your hallways
are narrow, remove furniture to create a more spacious appearance.
Under furnished is often better than over-furnished. You should
strive for a spare, but not bare, look.
After living in your home for years, you may have difficulty
transforming it from cluttered to inviting on your own. It helps to
engage a neutral party to assist you. A few hours spent with a
decorator who specializes in helping sellers fix up their homes for
sale may be all that's required to plan the transition.
THE CLOSING:
Curb appeal is important, so make sure that your home creates a
good first impression when viewed from the street. Some buyers won't
even consider buying a home unless it looks appealing on the
outside.
Article written by Dian
Hymer
Dian Hymer is author of
"House Hunting, The Take-Along Workbook for Home Buyers," and
"Starting Out, The Complete Home Buyer's Guide," Chronicle Books.
Distributed by Inman
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