Real Estate
Real Estate
By
Apr 4, 2006, 14:24

 Tips to Ensure Your Home Sells at the Right Price

Whether you are looking to sell your home now or in the near future you need consider how your home appears to potential buyers. “Image is everything,” said Jo Lay, SCRP, Vice President of Relocation Services at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. “To help create a positive image, you should stage your home for success.” Staging a home is creating a flow in a home by eliminating clutter, rearranging furniture and organizing a space. This process can make your home more desirable. “Often, just by making small changes, you can drastically improve your home’s image,” said Lay.

Here are a few tips on how to create a welcoming environment for you and potential buyers:

Create curb appeal. Making sure the outside of your home is attractive is the first step in enticing buyers to look at the inside. Create a charming outward appearance by refreshing the landscaping. Prune bushes and shrubs, mow the lawn, pull weeds, and add flowers at the entrance of your home. Also, give the front door and shutters a fresh coat of paint.

Clear the clutter. While it may be hard to admit, almost everyone has too much stuff. Begin cleaning and clearing one room at a time. Really think about what you want to keep and why. You may have to review the same space a few times to truly declutter the room. Donate items you haven’t used in over a year to a local charity. Place things you simply can’t part with in storage.

Think open spaces. Make sure you have clear paths into each room. Remove any items that give the appearance of a crowded room. Buyers should be able walk freely through every room in the house. Less is definitely more.

Let there be light. Natural light gives the interior of your home a bright, cheerful feel. Leave shades open, clean the windows and move any furniture that may be blocking the view.

Pay attention to the kitchen and bathroom(s). Take down magnets and school papers from the refrigerator, clean major appliances, clear off your countertops and put away any other personal items before prospective buyers visit.

Stop and smell the flowers. Adding fresh flowers will brighten up any room and add life to your decor. To keep the costs down incorporate flowers that have blooms which last at least week or use potted plants. Also consider using seasonal plants, such as mums in the fall, holly during the winter, or tulips in the spring.

Keep it clean. A clean home will give the impression of more space as well as show that your home is well cared after. Clean every part of each room including floors, appliances, closets, windows, everything! You can begin by hiring a professional cleaning service and then spend a little time each day to maintain order and cleanliness. In addition, remove any offensive odors. Open the windows to bring fresh air in the house and use air-neutralizing spray wherever needed.

Fix it now. Repair minor problems throughout the house, such as torn screens and leaky faucets. You don’t want potential buyers remembering the things that need fixed rather than the beauty of the home.

Look through your buyer’s eyes. You have an emotional attachment to your home. A Realtor® and home stager will offer you third party insight in how to improve the look of your home and catch things that you may miss.

Editor’s note: Jo Lay, SCRP is the Vice President of Relocation Services at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. For information on Coldwell Banker’s unique relocation services call 800-688-4518. For information on Coldwell Banker’s flexible nationwide mortgage programs call 877-785-7578.