Relocating for a job, needing more space for
children, downsizing now that the kids are grown or
taking advantage of real estate opportunities now that
home prices seem to be coming down from the stratosphere?
Whatever your reason for moving, your own home needs
to be ready to capture the attention of prospective
buyers.
Often buyers want to move into their new home and do
nothing more than put their furniture in place and unpack
their clothes. If your house isn't pristine, they'll walk
away. Savvy real estate agents bring professional home
stagers to their clients to help get houses in tip-top
shape prior to putting them on the market.
Often the stager is just suggesting how to make a
house more presentable by making it neater, adding a few
decorative touches with fresh flowers, accessories like
throw pillows, etc., and maybe purchasing a new
bedspread. Other times, stagers will completely furnish a
house with showroom-quality furniture, designer
accessories and hot-house plants.
The way people live in their home and how it needs to
be presented to the buying public are two entirely
different things. For example, a toaster on the kitchen
counter is convenient but notnecessarily attractive. The
same goes for the blender, coffee maker and vitamin
bottles.
When prospective buyers are walking through their
"new" house, they don't want to see reality, they want to
see their fantasy. They want to walk through a magazine
picture and imagine themselves living in it. Therefore,
staging inevitably begins with clearing the clutter.
CLUTTER -- AND THE RULE OF THREE
Clutter is anything that detracts the eye, like the
toaster. It's only after this stuff is out of sight that
you can begin to see what a house really looks like.
Ideally, surfaces such as a counter, mantel or tabletop
should have no more than three items on it. Any more and
it appears to be cluttered.Clearing clutter starts by
taking everything off the counters (bathrooms and
kitchen), taking out the stuff that's jammed in the
closets, removing all the cherished knick-knacks and
memorabilia and culling the family pictures that are
everywhere.
Now go further. Toss the magazines you don't have time
to read, thin out the books that are stacked four deep on
shelves and put unfiled papers in a drawer.
Too much furniture is also clutter. Since you'll
eventually be moving, take some of it out now.
Now that the clutter's gone you can see what needs
attention. If you don't have the objectivity to see the
house clearly (it's your home, after all), recruit a
friend who can be honest. Walk through the house and look
at it with a critical eye.Does the paint look tired? How
about the carpets -- is there a visible path where the
traffic is highest? Are window shades hanging lopsided or
slats of the Venetian blinds out of alignment? Is the
bathroom a disaster area? Be objective. Pretend you're
seeing the house for the first time, just as a potential
buyer would.
If the paint on the walls, trim and windows is
scuffed, dirty or an outrageous color that's no longer
fashionable, then paint should be next on your list.
Choose a neutral color; it's easiest on the eyes and
more people will respond to it. If you do it yourself,
don't just slap on a coat of paint; prepare surfaces
properly. If you don't have a handy bone in your body,
hire a professional.Now that the walls look better, what
about the floors? Wall-to-wall carpets should look as
fresh as the rest of the room. Keep the color neutral so
it's appropriate for the widest possible audience. A
thorough cleaning or total replacement is a worthwhile
investment.
To avoid creating a slippery surface, wood floors
should be nicely buffed but not waxed. Linoleum floors
should be clean and polished.
A bathroom gets tremendous wear and tear. Naturally,
it should be spotless for your prospective buyer.
If the enamel or porcelain tub, tile and/or shower
surround are dingy beyond scrubbing, the surface can be
resurrected with a new coat of enamel. It's a messy job
requiring hazardous chemicals, so you're best off hiringa
pro with experience in re-enameling.
ATTRACTIVE WINDOWS
If the window treatments are tired or unattractive,
remove them. Venetian blinds that are out of kilter or
drapes that are faded detract from the home's
appearance.
Naturally, the windows themselves should be sparkling
clean. Washing them makes a significant difference for
the small effort it takes. If your windows are high and
difficult to reach, hire a professional window washer or
use a hose with a cleaning product specifically designed
for this purpose.
Before hiring workers, remember to check references,
verify licenses and get everything in writing --
including the completion date. To check a contractor's
license, report a problem or get free consumer
information about hiring a contractor, call (800)
321-2752 or visit the Web site of the California
Contractors State License Board at www.cslb.ca.gov.
There's always more that can be done to prepare your
house for sale, but if you start with this list, you'll
be making a significant difference that you won't regret
later. Neither will your buyer. .
Editor's note: "Curb appeal,"
the first part of this article, appeared
earlier..
Beryn's note:
To
read the first of this two part article, "How To Create
'Curb Appeal'" click here.
