When you are ready to sell your Louisville home, the impression it has can be greatly affected by how much clutter is on the property. Of course, we don’t think of our personal belongings as clutter, but other people do. When you put your home up for sale, it doesn’t have to be sterile, but it should be free of personality so that it will appeal to everyone. When preparing your home to sell it, here are three simple rules:
RULE 1. TAKE YOURSELF OUT OF THE EQUATION
Your Castle is For Sale
Your home is truly your castle. You paint it the colors you like, you decorate it with the things that mean something to you, and you adapt it to your unique lifestyle. If you have lived in your house for any period of time, it is a home full of memorable moments shared with your family and friends. You probably have photos of loved ones, pets, and your favorite places hung prominently on the walls, and souvenirs are proudly displayed on shelves and bookcases. The things that mean the most to you are likely to be the centerpieces of your decorating scheme, and your house, your patio, your garage, and your property are clearly an expression of who you are.
A Different Point of View
When you are selling your home, the things that have meaning and value to you can actually reduce the value of your property. When the time comes to sell your home, it is time to put your personal point of view on hold and clean house. Cleaning house means removing your brand from the property – making it a clean canvas on which new owners can paint their own memories and dreams.
RULE 2. REMOVE THE CLUTTER
Of course, you still want your house to feel like home when it is on the market, but to get buyers to choose your home, you should put your feelings on the shelf and put your favorite things away. Potential buyers see themselves living in the house. If your stuff in the way of their vision, they won’t buy. You don’t have to empty your house, just empty it of clutter.
Is It Treasure or Junk?
As you go through your house, remove the personal photos, mementos, trophies and souvenirs – the things that you have an emotional attachment to – and pack them away. Examine everything that is not furniture. Separate it into piles of things to keep, sell, donate, or throw away. As an added bonus, you may make thousands of dollars by selling the things that you no longer want or need on eBay or Craig’s List.
Remove It If You Don’t Need It
After you have removed your personal items from the home, look around for ways to further improve the image of your home. Ask yourself these questions:
- Furniture: Are there unnecessary pieces of furniture that make the rooms look smaller?
- Entry: Are entryways clear of any personal clothing, boots, umbrellas or other items?
- Bookshelves: Do you have too many items in bookcases? Pack away all but a few books.
- Cords and Cables: Are the cords and cables for your computer equipment, sound systems, televisions and other electronics concealed?
- Indoor Plants: Are indoor plants healthy? Remove all but a few of them.
- Kitchen Surfaces: Are your countertops clear of non-essential items? Store away everything except your toaster, microwave, or coffee maker.
- Kitchen Cabinets: Are your cabinets and pantry neat and clean? Throw away outdated foods and spices, and remove any items you don’t use regularly.
- Bedrooms: Are the beds made and all personal clothing, shoes, and personal items put away?
- Closets: Do you need all that clothing? Pack away “out of season” clothing, put shoes and hats in boxes, and put all hanging clothes on identical hangers.
- Bathrooms: Are personal hygiene items, medications, and hair dryers put away?
- Equipment: Do you have exercise equipment, sewing or quilting machines, hobby apparatus, or music equipment in your home? Put them in storage while your house is on the market.
- Garage: Does your garage look like a storage unit? Clear your garage of everything except vehicles, tools, and sporting equipment.
- Patio and Lawn: Are all of the things outside of your house necessary? Remove any items that do not have an immediate purpose.
RULE 3. CLEAN CLEAN AND CLEAN AGAIN
A clean home is more valuable. If you are unable to deep clean your house yourself, spend a few hundred dollars to have a professional cleaning service do the job. Ideally, your home should look like an upscale hotel room when it is on the market – clean and uncluttered – as if no one else has been there. A sparkling home can bring $5,000-$10,000 more than market prices. To get the maximum value for your home:
- Deep Clean – Steam clean carpets, wash walls, polish floors, polish furniture, power wash exterior.
- Detail – Inspect every area of your home and dust, scour, clean, wax, polish, and shine every surface.
- Clean Daily – Vacuum, dust, put away any items you have used, water plants, and empty trash.
If you put out the effort to sell your home, selling it will be effortless. Remember, buyers want to buy a house that meets their needs, not yours. If you will be moving on to a new home, you will be looking for the same things your buyers seek. If you put yourself in their shoes, and you will find you are actually looking for your next home sooner than you think.
SELLING YOUR HOME IN LOUISVILLE, KY
If you’d like more information about selling your home in Louisville, contact us or read our free home seller’s eBook:
