Thinking about selling your home?  Besides thinking of how to sell, one of the things that you need to think about is preparing your home so that it’s a shining gem.  We call this process staging your home.  Appearance is everything to help convince the potential buyer. Here are a couple of tips that I always share with our clients. 

Cleaning your home 

Ever wondered why hotels are always so appealing when you first walk in?  It’s because everything is cleaned and tidied immaculately to appeal to customers. When cleaning your home, focus on making it as clean as the hotel room that you walk into. Dust, vacuum, mop, and polish everything to impress. 

Buyers will often look at the unexpected like the inside of closets and cupboards so you must clean everywhere.  A clean home suggests to buyers that the home has been well maintained.  And if you’ve neglected your cleaning areas of the home like the inside of your refrigerator or dusting your window blinds, now is the time to tackle them! 

Declutter and Depersonalize Each Room 

A cluttered home is a sign of a homeowner that doesn’t care about their home. Clutter is not only an eyesore and causes buyers not to focus on what’s important. It also makes a home appear small. Get rid of everything you don’t use or need. One common mistake is to stuff everything into the closet.  Don’t try to hide it there as buyers love inspecting closets.  Take the time to get rid of it with a garage sale, storage, donating, or taking it to the dump.    

After decluttering, pack your personal belongings like family photos and knickknacks. Buyers come to see your home, not your stuff. They will not be able to picture themselves in the space if all they see are your things. It’s time to remove yourself from the picture and let your buyer imagine their family in the home. 

Women preparing her home to sell. 

Touching up/Repairs 

As you are preparing your home to sell, now is also a good time to tackle the tiny scratches, holes, and damages that signal neglect to buyers. Start with a foam eraser pad and go room to room removing any scuffs from walls. Keep an eye out for any areas that could use a little patching with spackle and caulk. You may need to do some paint touch-ups too if you notice areas where previously applied paint has chipped. Just like with cleaning, the purpose is as much about showing potential buyers that you’ve put effort into maintaining the property as it is about making the place look nice. 

FINAL THOUGHTS  

If you are thinking about selling your home making sure it is staged correctly should be a high priority. Make sure you consult with your agent before you make any big discussions, you don’t want to see an appraised value lower than what you had invested.  

As a top producing agent with 20+ years of experience in the East Bay, I have helped hundreds of clients sell their homes in the Greater San Francisco Bay area and the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa. My experience as a former appraiser allows me to help my clients understand the market and help them renovate to maximize the sale of their homes. If you have any questions, I am here to be a resource for you.