Preparing Your Home For Sale

First impressions make a significant impact on a buyer's decision-making process!

Once your home goes on the market, it becomes a product. Home Styling or Staging simply allows you to highlight the best of your home and de-emphasize its flaws. It's not about decorating, but actually turning your home into a model, to appeal to the broadest range of prospective buyers. The goal is to make people feel like they could live there, and the best way to do this is to "neutralize" the surroundings.

BEFORE putting your home on the market, it must be made ready for the Columbus real estate market.  By not preparing the home ahead of time, it puts your property at a disadvantage, costing you thousands more delaying the sale.

Try out these helpful styling tips taken from Setting the Stage - REALTOR® Magazine Online. They've compiled the best tips from stagers and real estate pros—things you can do for little or no expense—to put a home in prime showing shape.

 Cost-effective tips & tricks

• Add Curb Appeal—freshen up the landscaping, trim back the trees and shrubs and plant some colorful flowers. Add some seasonal pot of flowers on the front porch, a bench or hanging plants. Power wash the exterior of the house, driveway and sidewalks to eliminate any debris and discoloration. Repaint, if needed.

• Clear out closets and clutter—give away or pack up toys, linens, small kitchen appliances and other items that will distract a Buyer. By eliminating clutter and organizing closets, your home will seem larger, cleaner and more inviting to potential buyers.  
• Focus most on the first impression rooms and personal spaces—the foyer, kitchen, great room or living room, master bedroom and bathrooms.
• De-personalize the home by removing photos, mementos, collectibles, and dated items. By doing so, the emphasis will be put back on the home instead of the people that live there.
• Modernize the home by updating accessories, fabrics and other materials.   Paint, textures, fabrics, accessories, lighting, are a few simple yet effective ways to achieve and updated look.
• Lighten Up—Lighting and color and really add warmth and an inviting feel to any space. Use as much natural light as possible. Add extra lamps in dark rooms or corners. Remember to replace burnt out light bulbs and clean windows inside and out.
• Eliminate Odors—smoke, pets, food. Be sure to air out the house after cooking foods with strong odors. A bad odor is an instant turnoff for Buyers. 
• Clean Everything—make it sparkle inside and out, especially the kitchen, bathrooms and carpets. If carpets are stained, consider replacing them.
• Freshen Up the home with a fresh coat of neutral colored paint, some new hardware in the kitchen and bathrooms, replace outdated ceiling light fixtures and add a new welcome mat on the front porch.  
• Make Minor Repairs—fix dripping faucets, oil squeaky door hinges, re-attach loose gutters, repair torn window screens, etc.