There's no doubt about it, when your home is for sale, it needs to be set up like a show home. That means it must be clean, tidy and sparsely furnished. Think about it on these terms: the buyer wants to purchase a home, not your stuff. Eliminating extra stuff helps them clearly see the home they are considering buying, whereas a cluttered home becomes unappealing.
Another aspect of this is that your home can no longer be about your personality. This goes beyond mere decorating, and in fact, it is beneficial to keep your paint colors neutral. If you have a bold paint job, some people might really like that. But the majority of people would rather have neutral colors in their home, or decide on their own bold color schemes. So if you want to sell faster, consider painting over your bold colors with tones of off-white. That way, a buyer sees this as a blank canvas waiting for them to fill.
First impressions are important, and that means you need to consider how your yard, the front of your home, and especially the front door and door step appear. Faded paint needs to be re-done. A sticky door will imprint the buyer with the impression that repairs are needed. Avoid this by doing any minor repairs and paint jobs that will improve the first impression of your home.
Finally, consider things like smell and overall ambiance. Pet or tobacco smells should be eliminated by professional carpet and drapery cleaning, and possibly a nice, but not overpowering, air freshener. Make sure kids and pets aren't bustling about, making messes and distracting buyers when they view your home.
It might be best to plan showing days when no one, including yourself is around. Let the agent describe your home in terms that match what the buyer is looking for, without the distraction of too much clutter or noise to distract them from what they are looking at: a new home to buy.
Selling a home is a process that can be stressful. First, you have to figure out your market. Once you do, you have to deal with people and agents coming to view the home. Sooner or later, you will get an offer. Then the negotiations occur. Once an agreement is reached, are you home free? Rarely. Issues are going to arise with home inspections and such. Since escrow periods typically range from 30 to 60 days, things can get pretty rushed and stressful. Obviously, you need to focus on the sale of the property, but what about that glorious day when escrow closes?
For most people, selling a home necessarily means buying another one. At least one hopes so! The transition from one home to another can be difficult. It is hardly the first thing on your mind during this period. Instead, you are focused on getting your old home handled while at the same time making sure your new home is going to be ready.
One of the big issues that comes with moving from an old to new home is timing. Simply put, the closing date for both transactions often does not happen on the same day. Yes, you can try to get it done, but sometimes it just isn't possible. So, what do you do? One option is to try to pay a small premium to have your new home vacated by the time you need to move. The seller may be willing to do this, but then again may not. It can really become impossible if you want to make improvements before moving in.
Let's assume a situation where you have three or four days from when you have to move out of your old home and into your new one. How do you span this gap? One option is to use moving trucks as storage vehicles. You can just load them up at your old home and then let them sit till the new home is ready. Obviously, you need to find a secure location for them. I did this once and parked them at my uncle's home for six days. He had a large lot and an annoying neighbor. He was more than happy to let me park three big moving trucks behind his house in full view of the neighbor!
Another option is to move your stuff into storage. I suggest you avoid this. Unload and then reloading moving trucks in the time span of a week is a good way to end marriages, develop moving rage and so on. It just isn't worth it!
Both Jerry Clifford & Lou Ross are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jerry Clifford has sinced written about articles on various topics from Real Estate, Sell Home. Jerry Clifford is a ® who has lived there most of his life. Because of this, he really knows his specialty: any and all. Jerry Clifford's top article generates over 480 views. to your Favourites.
Lou Ross has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Relocating to and Relocation. Lou Ross is with MovingCompaniesforYou.com - find along with helpful advice on moving issues.. Lou Ross's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.