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Improve The Look Of Your Home To Improve Its
Sale
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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.
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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.
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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.
By: Dian Hymer Dian
Hymer is author of "Starting Out, The Complete
Home Buyer's Guide," Chronicle Books. Copyright
Dian Hymer
Distributed by Inman News Features
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