1. Emotionally Detach. Especially if you’ve lived there a long time, it’s hard, but crucial, to let go, and think of your house objectively as a product on a shelf. Take a tour with a realtor or a staging professional and get some outside opinions on what areas you should focus your dollars on and what’s needed to get the maximum offers.
2. Depersonalize. Remove trophies, children’s artwork, religious artifacts, and family pictures. You want buyers to fantasize themselves here, not feel as if they’re intruding on your personal space.
3. Declutter. Remove extraneous furniture and accessories, rooms that are pared down feel bigger, and also allow the buyer to imagine their furniture in the space.
4. Choose a Neutral Colour Pallet. The secret behind great hotel décor is that it appeals to a wide set of tastes, and so should your décor. Funky red and green walls may be great for you, but could turn off a buyer. Light and Bright should be your motto! Stick with a warm, neutral palette like tans, taupes and greys. Avoid dark colours, especially in small spaces (like powder rooms). Keep the ceilings white to keep walls looking tall. Rule of thumb, if the walls haven’t been painted in over 2 years, now is the Time!
5. Kitchens and bathrooms are the place to invest If you have dated cabinetry, cracked and worn laminate counters, chipped or broken tiles, consider investing in repairing and upgrading these rooms.If your budget is limited, changing cabinetry hardware to brushed nickel or silver knobs and handles will give it an immediate appeal. Consider painting cabinetry instead of replacing them.
6. Make necessary repairs. Make sure light switches work, faucets don’t leak and broken windows are replaced. You may have lived with it comfortably for years, but a buyer might wonder what other maintenance has been neglected.
7. Maximize curb appeal. Drive around the neighbourhood, looking at which houses look most appealing and why. The grass is cut the bushes are pruned, the trim is painted, and the home looks well cared for. Your home’s exterior should look equally polished.
8. Pet peeves. Keep aquariums and small-animal cages spotless, and/or consider boarding Fido, Fluffy or Squeaky with a friend, at least while you’re showing the house.
9. Clean, clean, clean.This may seem like common sense, but unfortunately it’s still the one area owners tend to try and shortcut. This is the time to hire a professional cleaning company. Special attention should be placed on appliances, inside and outside of cupboards, baseboards and windows. Bathrooms should be scoured and if necessary use grout cleaner to get the tiles looking spotless!
10. Vacant properties sit, staged properties sell Staged homes sell 2 – 3 times faster and up to 6 per cent more than unstaged ones**. People perceive staged units that are well decorated as worth more. Professional stagers know how to highlight the features of the unit and distract from any “not so desirable” features.
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