Page 53 - 5890 PEOMG Issue 4 Flipbook

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photo of your home’s exterior at
night and include it with your
online photographs. “Doing the
unexpected to showcase your
home can help sell it,” she said.
Once you have made the grade
on the outside, the inside has
to sing clean. Common sense
will tell you to dust, vacuum,
wash windows and baseboards,
but did you think to organize
the cabinets, the drawers and
all the closets? Serious buyers
will always give them a sneak
peek. And don’t forget to have
a neutral nose give your home
the smell test. You might be able
to ignore the kitty litter in the
laundry room or the dirty gym
clothes in the bedroom closet, but
don’t expect buyers to forgive
and forget.
One of the hardest things to
do when staging a home is to
depersonalize. Sure, you love
the framed photos of family
and friends on the mantel and
all the memories attached to the
golf trophies, but don’t expect
buyers to imagine living in your
home with your personal stuff.
Also, nothing turns off a buyer
more than a home cluttered with
wall-to-wall furniture. Find a
place, even if it’s temporary,
for furniture that might cause
the space to look smaller than
it actually is and remove any
furnishings that are worn or out-
dated.
Can’t do it, you say? Consider
consulting a professional stager
for furniture placement and
advice on creating an inviting
home that will appeal to a wide
range of buyers.
Nothing says “buy me”
more than a home that is light
and airy. Achieve that look by
simply eliminating any window
treatments that block natural
light. You can also allow for
additional light in a room by
putting 3-way light blubs in table
and floor lamps. If you have dark
or brightly painted walls, apply a
fresh coat of neutral paint. Paint
is an easy and affordable way to
refresh a dull, dated room.
Another easy fix is to replace
old light fixtures, door hardware
and light switches. If you
remember them as a kid, then
they gotta go.
Selling a home can be a
daunting task, but knowing what
to do to set your home apart from
the competition can make the
difference between selling now or
later. If selling your home faster
and for more money is priority
one, then consider staging your
home to be priority two.
Real Estate
53
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