Hudson Valley Real Estate Blog

Spring is just around the corner and is a time when sellers are ready to call an agent and get their home on the market. Preparing and staging your house is beneficial for both obtaining maximum price and for selling quickly. Taking the time to prep your home, turns it into a desirable and very marketable property that buyers will certainly be interested in. Consider the next few ideas before doing anything!

• DO NOT LOOK BACK. Look toward the future! Part with or separate yourself from your house – imagine that it is just someplace to stay temporarily. Look at it as if you will be handing over the keys any day to the new owners.

• DE-PERSONALIZE. Buyers often have a hard time looking past personal photos of family and what you like to call, treasures. You want buyers to imagine themselves living in the home with their photos on the wall, so take yours down!

• DE-CLUTTER. Think of it like this, if you do not use it, get rid of it. Less is always more. Pack your chotchkes in a box to be put in storage. Clean everything off the kitchen counters, after all, the kitchen is the FIRST thing most buyers will look at.

• ORGANIZE KITCHEN CABINETS & ALL CLOSETS. Let’s face it, buyers are nosy, they will open every door that is not locked. You want to make sure everything is neat in its place. Again, if you do not need or use it, pack it in a box for storage.

• RENT A STORAGE UNIT. Homes show better with less furniture. If a room has big, bulky furniture, buyers have a hard time looking past that and imagining their own belongings in the room. Leave plenty of room to move around and walk through every room. Renting a storage unit allows you to put the unused pieces someplace until you move into your new home.

• REMOVE ITEMS THAT ARE NOT STAYING WITH THE HOME. For example, lights, curtain rods, ceiling fans, etc. Sometimes if these items are left up, buyers will automatically think that they come with the home. Save yourself the trouble as it could turn into a giant headache later on.

• MAKE MINOR REPAIRS. These should really be obvious. If counters are cracked, holes are in the walls, deep scratches in the floor or stains in the carpet – fix or replace them. If doorknobs are not functioning properly or faucets are leaking it will deter buyers.

• CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN AND KEEP IT CLEAN! Make sure windows are free of finger prints, stainless appliances are shinning, floors are swept, mopped or vacuumed, and bathrooms are spotless. It will not hurt to throw an air freshener in the wall either – homes that smell good leave a good impression. This also goes for the exterior, pressure wash the sidewalks, driveway and even the house itself if it needs it.

• CURB APPEAL. This should go without saying! If a buyer drives by your home, but does not want to get out of the car, they will never go inside. Clean your yard, put some mulch down, mow the lawn, trim the bushes and plant some inexpensive flowers.BE THE BUYER. After you have done all these steps, drive by your own home…would you look at it? Step in the front door…could you imagine living here? If the answer is yes, you have done a great job. If the answer is no, go back and repeat until you get it right! It will make all the difference in getting your place sold!