DE-CLLUTTER!

I know this is an ugly word. But you hear it alot. At least from us agents when we list a home and start counseling you on what you need to do. And it's probably something you DON'T want to hear.

• We talk about needed repairs - the dripping sink, the squeaky door, the piece of crown molding that's missing
• We suggest improvements inside and out - trim the hedges, paint the front door, straighten up the closets so they close and look larger inside, clean everything off the kitchen counters, take the kids' drawings off the refrigerator
• We tell you to DE-CLUTTER!

So what does this all mean? Taking care of repairs and minor defects is important because buyers notice them (and even look for them these days) and start subtracting how much they are are going to offer, or decide to NOT offer at all. Unless you are in a seller's market there is too much competition. And let's face it - why should a buyer purchase your home with all the defects you have been ignoring?

Having your home look its best is also important. First impressions are, well, first impressions. And while we, when selling, can believe that buyers will or should overlook some things (like a brilliant paint color, dated wallpaper, a messy yard, etc.) the truth is they don't. And they use these as reasons not to buy , especially if your home is not priced well. 

De-cluttering, or de-personalizing is HARD. No one likes to do it, for the most part. So why do we tell you to do so? And why is it so hard?

Putting away all the personal trappings of your life and making your home neutral is important so it appeals to a broad range of buyers. And so they don't get distracted by looking at walls of family vacation portraits and shelves and shelves of collectibles, and atually do what they are supposed to do - look at your HOUSE, picture themselves living there, and deciding if that feels right.  And taking away a lot of the stuff you live with makes your home look and feel larger. Many buyers just have a hard time imagining living in a cramped home - they can't see beyond the personal stuff and envision living there. You think they will ignore the huge sectional in teh middle of the floor blocking access to the patio door? NOT! So our advice to de-clutter is important to listen to. Plus you have to pack anyway, right?

But it's hard to do this. And some sellers jsut can't do  it. Emotionally, it just doesn't feel right. You have to continue to live in your "home" and yet it doesn't feel like your home any more. I think this is especially hard for those who have been in a home for many years and there are lots of memories. Or if a spouse has died and one must put away all those memories. And the thought os putting all this stuff into boxes when you might not be moving for months is NOT appealing. Having been through it myself a bunch of times I KNOW what a pain it is.

1. Keep your objective in mind - SELLING YOUR HOME for the best price and as quickly as possible
2. Your home is now a product for buyers to view. You are moving to a NEW HOME. Think of it as staging your home for buyers, like designing a beautiful window display in a retail store
3. Buyers generally cannot look past personal stuff so don't let it distract them
4. You will need to pack anyhow, so why not start
5. The more you depersonalize, the easier it becomes to continue doing so
6. The first box is the worst
7. Be objective - look at your home with the eye of a buyer, from the outside and inside. Or have a friend help you. And take what your agent tells you seriously

Here are some more issues to seriously consider if you are thinking of selling your home by yourself. Part of the value of a REALTOR is that you do not have to worry about these things.

 Exposure - This is a buyer's market, for most parts of the country. In order to sell a home quickly and for top dollar, it is CRITICAL to have maximum exposure in the marketplace because there is so much competition. Some neighborhoods have more than 10 homes for buyers to choose from. How will YOU get the exposure you need? And do you know what your target market is? You can't put your home on the MLS with out the aid of an agent (even one that does this for a fee and provides no other services (some areas have an MLS of thousands of agents). You also can't get your home on Realtor.com, probably the most widely used site for home searching by buyers. how many people are actually going to drive by your For Sale By Owner sign? How will the market know your place if even for sale? There are websites that cater to FSBOs, but many others that only list properties to agents - so you are limiting your Internet exposure (and 80% of buyers these days search on the web for their new homes).

 Qualifying Buyers - Do you know how to determine is a buyer is qualified to purchase your property? What questions do you need to ask? How do you know they are qualified buyers and have the financial wherewithal to meet the mortgage approval criteria? Are you actually comfortable quizzing prospective buyers on their financial status? Do you really want to show you home to a buyer who can't afford it but is having fun dreaming? Or checking out your decorating sense?

 Staging your Home - Is your home really ready to show buyers? Do you know how to create an atmosphere that will encourage buyers to envision themselves living there? What mood does your home convey to people walking up to the front door, or even driving by? Do you know what amenities buyers are searching for and how you can make sure buyers are aware of these things in YOUR home? Are there some design or functional faux pas in your home that needs to be taken care of, and do you know what this is?

I hope you find this helpful in your thinking. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Since you are relocating, you really need to sell...right? Here is the first of a two-part series of some strategies to get you started, now that the market has shifted to become much more buyer friendly. These are not in any special order but price is most important:

If you are going to be selling your home in order to relocate, you should consider staging it!

Keep in mind that you are selling your HOUSE (notice I said HOUSE in the title) not your HOME (your home is in your new location) and, as a product it needs to be treated as such. Staging your home will show it to its best advantage and allow buyers to envision themselves living there, as opposed to being distracted by all the personal stuff. Clutter is the worst enemy and the biggest challenge, and since you are moving any way, there is no reason not to go ahead and pack up as much as you can and clear out things that are not necessary.

Statistics gathered by the organization founded by Barb Schwarz, who created the home staging concept years ago, indicate that homes that are staged sell quicker and for more money - this is true nationally and in all markets. Staging is not the condition of the home, nor is it decorating. Think of it like detailing your car that you are trying to sell - the better the car looks, the faster it will sell and the more money you will get for it. As Barb has said, "buyers only know what they see, not the way it's going to be."

Consider having a professional stager to assist you in creating the look that will sell your home, and consider it an investment in your house. It's cheaper than your first price reduction. For more information, check out Barb's site, Staged Homes. Feel free to email me if I can help in any way or answer any questions.

Need to get rid of clutter? Try 1-800-GotJunk. And if you need a place to store the extra boxes and furniture (no, the garage is not the right place as this should be staged as well), call PODS (Portable On Demand Storage).

NOTE: Photos are before and after staging, taken from Barb's site (with her permission to share).