March 10th, 2008 Posted in Current Events | No Comments »
If you are thinking about putting your home on the market to sell this spring, you may want to consider getting it staged. Clutter can be the largest obstacle. A Buyer looks for space to put their personal items. If too much space is taken, they perceive the room as too small.We suggest clearing off counter tops, even put the toaster in a cupboard. More counter space makes the kitchen feel larger. Remove and rearrange furniture to maximize the size of each room. Clear the top of your refrigerator, coffee tables, night stands and dressers.
The question you are probably asking is, where do I put all of this stuff? We suggest it be stored neatly in your garage, or in a storage unit. Pack it like you would when you move. This saves time packing when your house has sold.
Now that you have more room, take a look at the paint on your walls, the condition of your baseboards, and flooring. Paint should be in a neutral color. Touching up the paint on your walls and baseboards will give your home a clean look. Patch holes as needed. Be sure to spruce up your flooring, by cleaning or resurfacing. Check and replace missing electrical plate covers. Replace the grout on your tubs and showers. Check for missing grout at sink and tile on counter areas.
Don’t forget to clean up. Clean your bathrooms so they sparkle. How do your bathtubs and showers look? In the kitchen be sure to replace your range burner plates and clean the inside of your oven. Wipe off all of your cabinetry and clean your light fixtures. This is a good time to replace missing light bulbs. Wash the windows and doors. Door thresh holds can capture a lot of dirt, especially at a sliding door.
Most Home Buyers will drive by a home before previewing it. Take a close look at the exterior of your home. Clean up debris, weed and trim grass, add fresh bark to the flower beds, clear off the front and back porches. Remove spider webs and dirt from the siding. Touch up paint as needed around window and door trims.
This may sound a bit overwhelming. We suggest making a list and checking it off as you go. Everything does not need to be done in one day. If you purchase your cleaning and repair materials ahead of time, you will be able to fit the smaller jobs in to your schedule during the week. Involve the whole family. Before you know it, your home will be staged to sell.
The Williams Team at Windermere Real Estate is committed to providing professional real estate service to both Buyers and Sellers in the Walla Walla Valley. Please contact us for your Real Estate needs.
