Tips For Sellers

Preparing Your Home for the Market: Avoiding the Most Commonly Made Mistakes

We’ve all watched those shows on HGTV where the open houses are done with a hidden camera where potential buyers rip on everything from the cookie jar on the counter to the paint color in the living room – totally overlooking the great view out the kitchen window, or the fact that the house has 500 more square feet than the updated one down the street. Enter Sally Stager and Carl Carpenter to “save the day” and “transform” the home into a showpiece and boom, at the next open house, once people can see past the décor to the home’s “bones” you hear the magic words… “multiple offers.”

When preparing your home in the Wake County  area for the market there are a number of things you can do to get your home in tip top shape, which will not only make your house show well, but can also help get you top dollar in a tight market.

One of the biggest pitfalls people fall into is having too much “stuff” in their space, which makes it hard for potential buyers to see themselves in the home. Take some time to figure out which pieces of furniture and art work you have in each space to define the space as well as highlight the room’s best features. Do you have an amazing fire place that will wow potential buyers? Then, take the time to set up the furniture in such a manner that the eye is drawn to the fire place. Take down the pictures of Aunt Sally and Uncle Walt and replace them with non-personal pictures. What you are trying to do here is de-personalize the space as much as possible so that buyers can see the home for what it is and put it on the “short list” as opposed to crossing it off the list. Take the pictures off the fridge, and de-clutter your kitchen. Take the time to nicely fold and organize your closets. If you have a lot of “stuff” lying around (small appliances, gadgets, papers, books, games, etc.) potential buyers may think that your home is lacking in storage and lose interest.

Another mistake that people tend to make is putting a home on the market that is overly personalized. What I mean by this, is having décor in your home that is so specific to your tastes that potential buyers may not be able to see past that to the great floor plan, or location that makes your house a standout from the rest they are considering. If possible, paint is a great neutralizer in all décor. Tone down bright paint colors with a more neutral approach; take the time to touch up those crayon marks and other blemishes. Also, the walls don’t have to be “basic builder beige” to be becoming… Pick a neutral palette and paint the rooms with different colors from that palette.

Granted you may have priced your house in such a way that allows for new paint and carpet, but not everyone is in the market for that, and by the time you get to the closing table, you may find that you would have made more by spending a little earlier in the selling process. If you have carpets that are in good shape, take the time to get them professionally cleaned – it is okay to ask people to remove their shoes when the house is being shown. If you have hardwood floors, or other features like chair molding that are being hidden by furniture and area rugs? If so, consider pulling them up and rearranging the furniture so that potential buyers can see what they are getting.

Finally, a little curb appeal will go a long way. This doesn’t mean to an overhaul on your yard, and spend a lot of money. You would be surprised at the number of people who drive up to a home and turn around because they yard and home look neglected and overgrown. For a few hundred dollars – tops – try planting some seasonal flowers or put out flower pots. If you have window boxes, dress those up as well (hint: fake doesn’t look that bad if you do it right – ivy and other greenery looks quite natural). A light dusting of pine straw and mulch can do wonders for sprucing up the yard; as can trimmed shrubbery and power washing. Take a few moments to walk the exterior of your home. If you see rotting wood on the steps or banisters, go ahead and take the time to replace it – chances are you are going to have to do so during the inspection phase, so why not knock it out now instead of later.

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune, nor a bevy of time to get your home ready for the market, and right now there are a number of other homes on the market that you are having to compete with. With current market conditions in the Wake County (i.e. Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Rolesville, etc.) being more of a buyer’s market, staging your home properly and taking the time to make it shine, you gain greater potential to not only sell your home more quickly, but make top dollar on it as well.

Have questions about staging your home or getting it ready for the market? Please feel free to give me a call at 919-229-2013 or email me at mgilley@fmrealty.com