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Home Staging
Once you have determined that now is the time to sell
your home, what steps should you take to prepare to
"go on the market"? Here are 5 simple steps
that the Solid Investment Realty Group recommends to get your home in
the Northern Virginia area ready to sell.
Curb Appeal
Make sure that what a buyer sees when they first arrive
at the outside of the home makes them want to see the
inside. Simple tasks such as refreshing mulch and trimming
back trees and bushes can make a huge difference.
Uncluttering & Neutralizing
Clutter is not only your everyday belongings, but also
decorations and decorating tastes. The stamp collection
that you are proud of, and have decorated an entire
den with, can be viewed as clutter, and detract from
the architectural designs and fine features of your
home. Any strong decorating elements, whether or not
they are attractive, stops buyers so that they notice
that decorating statement, and not the home itself.
Creating a neutral environment that accommodates virtually
everyone's furnishings provides a firm foundation for
getting the best offer in the shortest amount of time.
Cleaning
The uncomfortable feeling of an unclean house - whether
a kitchen sink filled with dirty dishes or a bathroom
shower with soap scum and mildew - causes apprehension
and turns the buyers' interest away. Take the time to
give your home a thorough cleaning before going on the
market, and then have a regular schedule for keeping
the home clean while you are actively on the market.
Repairing
A house cannot sell for top dollar if any detail, large
or small, is in less than perfect shape. Neglect repairs
and you position your house as a fixer upper, which
decreases both the number of potential buyers and the
price they will be willing to pay. When a home is in
need of repairs, buyers feel justified in making lower
offers, since they will likely calculate the "worst-case"
scenario for the cost of the repairs. Making repairs,
whether small (a leaky faucet) or large (replacing damaged
shingles), again positions you to get the best offer
in the shortest amount of time.
Making the "House" a "Home"
Staging is more than simply removing clutter and cleaning
up the house. Staging makes the potential buyer comfortable
in the "home" and makes them want to come
back and live there. Remember that buyers are looking
for a house that will meet physical as well as psychological
needs. They want to feel comfortable, to enjoy a place
of beauty, a haven from the busyness of daily living,
and somewhere they can be proud to entertain family
and friends. Staging can cost very little - it can simply
be reorganizing the existing furniture in a room, creating
a focal point in each room with furniture or flowers,
and making that house "home".
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