There still may be a chill in the air but for those of you thinking about selling your house, spring is already here.
If you don't already have plans in place, there is no time to delay. The time to get ready is now.
Clear the clutter. Go through each room. Decide what should stay and what can go. If you haven't used it in two years, it is time to find it a new home. Throw it away, sell it or give it away, but get it out of your way. When getting ready to sell your house, less is more. Rent a Dumpster. Call Big Brothers/Big Sisters for a donation pick up. Hire an organizer. They can help you detach from the material things in your life that are holding you back. Do what you can to reduce what you have.
Set up an area in your home - or even in each room - where you can start packing. You're moving. Start the packing now. If you have a box in the corner of a room, you can effortlessly add a few things each day. As you clear, it will become readily apparent what needs to go. There will be fewer things to clutter your space. There will be fewer objects to dust and pick up. It is a great strategy.
It is especially important that you pack the family photos and children's artwork. You need to make your house look like it doesn't belong to anyone. A prospective buyer should be able to come in and see themselves living there. That photo of your mother-in-law on the living room table will remind them that this is your house not theirs. Don't forget the fridge magnets.
It is important that you have your Realtor walk through your house and give you a "to do" list. Your Realtor does more than simply host an open house for you. Your Realtor will look at your property objectively and tell you what you need to do to get the best price possible in today's market in the shortest period of time. Your Realtor knows what buyers are looking for in a new home.
People like homes that look like they have been well maintained. Fix cracks in the walkways and foundations. Replace rotting trim. Keep driveways and sidewalks clear of snow and ice. When the snow melts, clear the weeds and keep the lawn mowed. Get rid of pet and cooking odors. Use paper plates for quick disposal of dishes. Take-out helps.
Paint your walls a light neutral shade of white. It becomes a clear pallet for the buyer. The buyer knows they can move into the house without doing any work until they are ready. This is very important to the majority of home buyers.
If your children and pets have damaged your furniture, get rid of it. You can buy the furniture that you plan to take with you or look into renting furniture. You need to make your home look warm and inviting. You want the buyers to sit down on the sofa and envision themselves in the room.
"We taste and feel and see the truth. We do not reason ourselves into it," said Irish poet and dramatist William Butler Yeats. In the world of real estate, your home needs to look and feel right for a prospective buyer to make an offer.
Anne Hentz is an interior designer working in MetroWest. Contact her through her Web site www.annehentzdesign.com.
author: Anne Hentz