Homes are full of all the memories you’ve made while living there, and selling up can be an emotional experience, but before you leave in the physical sense, first, you need to move out mentally.
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That doesn’t mean you need to forget all the things you’ve done there, or why you have loved your home, but if you want to get your property sold, you need to establish in your mind that, for whatever reasons, this is no longer going to be your home and you are going to start making memories someplace else.
It’s easier said than done, but if you can make that first step, you will be able to better present your home in a most attractive way to your potential buyers.
Depersonalize
More than ever before, sellers are being urged to make their homes “Instagram-ready” with video tours and social media now major tools for selling homes.
Showing your home off in a light where the buyer can picture their own things fitting right in will not only find you a buy more quickly, but it will also help you achieve the best price for your home too. Caledon real estate agents Jennifer Jewell say staging your home in the right way can increase your sale price by as much as 15%.
Once you’ve established, you’re no longer showing off your home but rather offering up a home perfect for someone else; you can set about removing your own personal touches from show.
Number one, take down family photos. These are a sure-fire way of showing this home is for someone else. You want the buyer to imagine their family living there, not yours.
Connected to this is anything such as your kids’ paintings and other creations stuck to the fridge or decorating bedrooms. This type of thing can be off-putting if, for example, the potential buyer doesn’t have children. They may view your home as one for a large family and decide for that reason it’s not suitable for them.
Next, think about anything that is showcasing your personal taste. This could be accent wallpapers, loud-soft furnishings, or highly stylized fixtures and fittings. If your taste doesn’t match with the potential buyers, it can make them feel like this isn’t a house they love.
Instead, remove wallpaper and paint walls in neutral tones. Pack away soft furnishings like cushions and throws that don’t fit in with the natural theme, along with ornaments, artworks, and any other items of personal memorabilia.
Accessorize
So, once you have removed your personal stamp from the place, you still need to make it feel like home – just not your home. This is where some thoughtfully placed accessories come in.
Furniture covers can make your tired furniture look more appealing, and the addition of some neutral cushions and throws can make a living space look cozy and inviting.
Freshen up a food area such as the dining room or kitchen with a bowl of fresh fruit or add greenery to other areas with fresh cut flowers or house plants.
After hiding your disposable razor and soggy flannel, you can accessorize your bathrooms with some carefully selected fancy toiletries that will add a luxurious feel to the buyer’s potential new home.
Brewing fresh coffee, lighting a scented candle, or playing very subtle background music can all help add a little atmosphere and offer the final finishing touches.