A picture is worth more than a thousand words. It can actually be worth a couple hundred thousand dollars to a potential seller of their home, too. The digital age has created an environment where many fields drastically change in every generation since its inception, sometimes even seeing multiple developments within a single decade. Real estate, whether you are a professional or just a homeowner trying to make a change, is not an exception. As soon as an interested buyer sees that “For Sale” sign in the front of your property, you know what they’re doing first. They are not calling the number on the sign and getting a hold of your agent. They are finding your listing online and looking at the photos before they even finish reading the description to your home.
And those photos can, and most likely WILL, be the make-or-break on if you may ever get an offer. There can be so much to show and tell in an in-person open house or tour, but if the photos you provide of your home aren’t up to snuff, none of that matters. Those photos are your first impression, and for most properties on the market, that first impression is your biggest priority. So how do you maximize the potential benefit of said photos? Stage your home. Strip it of what it looks like now, and stage it like you are a professional. People pay money for it for good reason, and maybe you might want to consider that. But before you do, we have a few tips you can use to try and do it yourself. It can be fun and even satisfying to see your property in a different light!
Take the Personal Out of It
We all love a home that feels unique and personal to our families. The difference is, we only love those feelings and those homes when they are not being sold to other people. You may or may not know this, but photos of a home filled with memorabilia; of you, your spouse and kids or their drawings from school on the fridge do not earn you many points at all. Potential buyers want to try and place their own families in your home, and freeing them of yours can help. The easiest and quickest way to start improving your home for an online listing is to temporarily remove those items prior to taking pictures. Consider the angle of your photos, pay careful attention to anything that might blend in and take those out of the way.
Another tip is to consider more than the obvious. Hygienic products in the bathroom are generally considered a turn-off for buyers, and you want to ensure your furniture has clean, unused linens, pillows and/or comforters to avoid the impression of someone having just enjoyed resting there minutes before.
Clean and Condense
Homes are meant to feel tighter and smaller as the years go on. Most people buy a variety of new items to fill their property with, and very rarely do we part ways with the older possessions to make room for this. You may not see any cause for concern after living there for so long, but you can trust that buyers and guests will see the clutter long before they see the features you are trying to sell and focus on. Assuming they still want to put an offer down, you would more often than not see much less value being considered in the numbers they send your way.
The obvious, but most time-consuming, solution is to clean. No, you can’t get by just vacuuming and sweeping. You need to give your entire home a deep clean from corner to corner. Floors, walls, doors, ceilings, new/old appliances, your bathtub and shower stalls… no stone should be left unturned. Do not feel bad if you want to go the professional route with this one.
Aside from cleaning, you will need to declutter. There is no other way around it. Storage closets are going to need to be inspected for trimming, your living room may need to finally say goodbye to the discolored chaise in the corner and the hobby room that hasn’t been touched since 2018 might be better off serving other purposes as you sell your home. Hold a garage sell before you put your house on the listings if you need to, or just start giving your knickknacks and old clothes to family or charity. The more “empty” storage space, the better. Buyers need to see how much they are really getting for their money.
Make Your Home Styling and Profiling
You have decluttered your home and cleaned it meticulously. What else can you do? Actually STAGE your home, of course! This is the fun part, if you ask us. Most properties, unless recently and considerably renovated, are going to look dated compared to modern new builds. Paint colors on the wall can be safe but dated, and floor patterns regardless of if they are tile or carpet can detract from the overall experience. There is a way to make your property stand out as unique and interesting without personalizing it to you specifically.
For example, if you have wallpaper? You are going to want to say goodbye to it now and not later. Paint over it once gone with a neutral color, and then supplement that color with something more vibrant and interesting via decor like rugs, pillows and art. It is ideal if you can work with items you already own, of course, but this may be another area you would want to consider investing in. After all, you can take those pieces with you to your new home once you sell your current one without a hitch!
Let Your Home Glow
Homes, especially beach homes in NSB of all places, need to avoid the dark and shadows like it is a plague. It is a cardinal sin to let your lovely property not show its beauty with proper lighting. Whether natural or through the use of lamps, your staging for photos and open houses needs to keep this in mind. All of the work you have done up until now means little if other Floridians cannot see the Florida in your home. Consider taking down those curtains you use to keep things cooler during the day. Add fixtures as needed and where necessary, and just be on the safe side and turn on every light in your house. Replace lightbulbs that have gone out and think about upgrading altogether if you use fluorescent over LED. If you are getting ready for a tour, go ahead and turn on or install lighting for your closets as well. Your goal is to show how inviting your home is to others.
TO WRAP IT UP
We have listed several things to consider as you are preparing to put your house on the market. Ultimately, don’t go overboard on your budget. Your goal is to make the property as appealing to as many people as possible without breaking the bank in the process. Just emphasize the features that you consider are the best and take full advantage of what you already have while removing the unnecessary.
Most importantly, know that our team of agents are here to help you every step of the way. We have so many options beyond just this blog post we can go over when it comes to selling your home in order for you to get every dollar you deserve! Contact us today so we can get you with one of our agents to talk about it.