What Does Your Home Say About You?

So it's time to move and you're going to list your home for sale. You want it to sell quickly and maximize your selling price. Well let me ask you this, if your home was applying for a job, what would be the first impression it gave off? Would it be a torn t-shirt, dirty jeans and smelly shoes or would your house be dressed in a crisp business suit looking sharp and dapper?  

Not only are first impressions critical in your professional life, they are just as vital when selling your home. In fact, the first 5 minutes can make or break the sale of your home. A buyer's sight and smell are the first senses used to determine if your home is right for them. Unattractive landscaping, clutter, pet smell, poor ventilation and lighting can doom your home in the first 5-10 minutes that a potential buyer views your home. Here are some simple staging tips when listing your home:

1. Less is more when it comes to decorations.

It's important to keep decor simple and only accentuating the home's best features to create an inviting setting. Try displaying fall foliage or festive bouquets throughout the home.

2. Warm up the walls. 

A fresh coat of paint will always help revive the home's interiors. It's a great idea to keep the walls neutral yet warm and inviting. For the autumn season, pops of color with accessories in oranges, deep reds and yellows add a festive touch. 

3. Keep rooms well lit.

Open blinds and plenty of tasteful lamps through the home add additional illumination and highlights the home's best features.

4. Make it cozy.

As the weather cools down, encourage home buyers to stick around during showings by providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Accentuate the sofas and chairs with plush throw pillows and cuddly throws.  

5. Play up the seasonal scents.

Add to the welcoming atmosphere by burning seasonal scented candles throughout the home. Or, even better, simmer hot apple cider on the stove and offer it to potential home buyers.

6. Accentuate gathering areas.

Especially fireplaces if the home has one. A cozy fireplace is a fantastic feature to highlight during the crisp fall months. Arrange the furniture to make a focal point and set the scene for home buyers to imagine gathering with their own friends and family for the holidays and cold seasons.

7. Add a touch of luxury.

Layering the bedding with sumptuous fabrics and adding dimension with throw pillows will enhance the bedroom's comfort appeal. You can also display plush towels in the bathroom or drape a silky table cloth over the dining room table to give the home a more luxurious feel.

8. Curb appeal, curb appeal, curb appeal.

No matter how beautiful and inviting a home's interior, buyers won't make it inside if the exterior isn't welcoming as well.Especially during the fall season when the weather is turning colder and home buyers will want to move in and stay indoors. Sprucing up the lawn by raking up leaves and patching up brown spots in the grass will give home buyers the sense of a more turn-key purchase. They'll be able to imagine themselves hosting holiday parties and dinners instead of making a mental to-do list to rush through before the seasonal events begin.

For more information like this or questions about how we can effectively and successfully list your home, please e-mail Rob Sassos at Rob@SimplicityRE.com