Getting ready to sell your home?
by Myrna Simon
associated with Alicia Friedmann Interior Designs
You’ve decided to sell your home, but don’t know where to begin. When do I call a realtor; when do I begin to pack; what do I do with all these knick knacks which have been collecting for years? Do I paint? Do I recarpet? Do I make major changes in the house? Does my furniture make a good impression? How will this house compare to the homes for sale down the block?
There is only one word to remember: “Simplify.”
Before you call in a realtor, I would suggest that you prepare to minimize your furnishings so that the rooms do not appear cluttered. You always want the rooms to appear larger. Take down anything personal, such as portraits, photographs, children’s artwork, handicrafts, to give the prospective buyer the opportunity to look at the now uncluttered house with his own family in mind.
When you feel the house is ready to be shown to the realtor, then make the phone call. If the realtor feels like this house could be sold faster with the assistance of a professional stager, then believe him/her.
The professional stager will look at the house from the buyer’s point of view. The stager may advise any or all of the following: what will it take to fix up the kitchen to entice the buyer (probably the most important room in the house)? Perhaps fresh paint, or a good scrubbing. Sometimes one or two new appliances can bring the kitchen up-to-date. This would not be a big investment, but a great return on the sale. Look inside your pantry. Are the shelves in good shape? Are they clean?
Same thing is required in the bathrooms. Do they need a good paint job; are the shower curtains in good condition; what about the faucets, sinks and toilets? Bathrooms are very important to new buyers who do not want to come into a newly purchased home and make an immediate investment. Inspect the bathroom for possible mold.
For all of the bedrooms….cleaning is of utmost importance. Be sure not to leave any clutter on the floors or closets in the bedrooms. Prospective buyers will definitely look in the closets to determine the amount of space. In the buyers’ minds, if the closets are cluttered, that would probably mean there isn’t enough closet space. They also want to see the bedrooms and imagine a nice clean, open and relaxing space. I suggest you invest in a new and clean duvet and shams for the purpose of showing the house.
Closets throughout the home should be cleaned and tidied. If the carpeting is fraying, a nice new inexpensive and neutral rug should be installed; draperies should be taken down if they are not in good condition, and replaced with inexpensive shades to let the light in. The more light in the house, the better it will show. Lighting is important. Be sure all light bulbs are in good working condition.
Your professional stager will determine what size furniture would be best in the family and living rooms. If your sofas are too large, the rooms look too small. If your sofas are too small, then they are dwarfed in the large rooms.
Outside patio: clean out all debris and place a simple table and chairs, or a couple of patio chairs to show the prospective buyers what a delightful place it is to sit and enjoy. If you do have patio furniture, analyze the quality and quantity of the pieces. Imagine your patio as another room in your home. Would a prospective buyer appreciate your patio?
You definitely would like your home to show better than any other home on the block. Then, call in a professional stager. We have the experience; we have been through this exercise many times before; and we’ve been successful staging homes and preparing them to sell.
Myrna Simon
Interior Designer
Alicia Friedman Interior Design
562-286-4353
myrna@aliciafriedmann.com
http://myrnasimon.blogspot.com/
You’ve decided to sell your home, but don’t know where to begin. When do I call a realtor; when do I begin to pack; what do I do with all these knick knacks which have been collecting for years? Do I paint? Do I recarpet? Do I make major changes in the house? Does my furniture make a good impression? How will this house compare to the homes for sale down the block?
There is only one word to remember: “Simplify.”
Before you call in a realtor, I would suggest that you prepare to minimize your furnishings so that the rooms do not appear cluttered. You always want the rooms to appear larger. Take down anything personal, such as portraits, photographs, children’s artwork, handicrafts, to give the prospective buyer the opportunity to look at the now uncluttered house with his own family in mind.
When you feel the house is ready to be shown to the realtor, then make the phone call. If the realtor feels like this house could be sold faster with the assistance of a professional stager, then believe him/her.
The professional stager will look at the house from the buyer’s point of view. The stager may advise any or all of the following: what will it take to fix up the kitchen to entice the buyer (probably the most important room in the house)? Perhaps fresh paint, or a good scrubbing. Sometimes one or two new appliances can bring the kitchen up-to-date. This would not be a big investment, but a great return on the sale. Look inside your pantry. Are the shelves in good shape? Are they clean?
Same thing is required in the bathrooms. Do they need a good paint job; are the shower curtains in good condition; what about the faucets, sinks and toilets? Bathrooms are very important to new buyers who do not want to come into a newly purchased home and make an immediate investment. Inspect the bathroom for possible mold.
For all of the bedrooms….cleaning is of utmost importance. Be sure not to leave any clutter on the floors or closets in the bedrooms. Prospective buyers will definitely look in the closets to determine the amount of space. In the buyers’ minds, if the closets are cluttered, that would probably mean there isn’t enough closet space. They also want to see the bedrooms and imagine a nice clean, open and relaxing space. I suggest you invest in a new and clean duvet and shams for the purpose of showing the house.
Closets throughout the home should be cleaned and tidied. If the carpeting is fraying, a nice new inexpensive and neutral rug should be installed; draperies should be taken down if they are not in good condition, and replaced with inexpensive shades to let the light in. The more light in the house, the better it will show. Lighting is important. Be sure all light bulbs are in good working condition.
Your professional stager will determine what size furniture would be best in the family and living rooms. If your sofas are too large, the rooms look too small. If your sofas are too small, then they are dwarfed in the large rooms.
Outside patio: clean out all debris and place a simple table and chairs, or a couple of patio chairs to show the prospective buyers what a delightful place it is to sit and enjoy. If you do have patio furniture, analyze the quality and quantity of the pieces. Imagine your patio as another room in your home. Would a prospective buyer appreciate your patio?
You definitely would like your home to show better than any other home on the block. Then, call in a professional stager. We have the experience; we have been through this exercise many times before; and we’ve been successful staging homes and preparing them to sell.
Myrna Simon
Interior Designer
Alicia Friedman Interior Design
562-286-4353
myrna@aliciafriedmann.com
http://myrnasimon.blogspot.com/
