Patrick Young
Putting your home on the market can be nerve wracking. There is so much to do, and chances are you’re in the midst of other aspects of your transition, like arranging school enrollment and a new job role. Staging a home adds another burden, financially and otherwise, but you can do this yourself with great success. Oklahoma Welcome invites you to keep reading!
Get to Know the Neighborhood
Doing a bit of research on other homes for sale in the area can tell you a lot about how to prepare for your own home sale. That way, you’ll have your ducks in a row when your listing goes live!
While local reconnaissance provides a general awareness of the marketplace, it also serves to provide examples. When you see how other homeowners have developed a welcoming atmosphere for showings and open houses, you can apply their ideas to your property. You may even find it productive to visit a few different open houses so you have a better idea of how to stage a home properly.
Take ‘You’ Out
As you prepare to put your home on the market, you need to look at it through the eyes of a house hunter. You want others to feel comfortable, and be able to envision living in the space. This means removing personal decor and expressive design elements. Everything from family photo albums to heirloom throws should be culled to make room for a more standardized atmosphere. This way, potential buyers feel as though they can customize the home to their liking without having to overlook your personal tastes.
Wide Open Spaces
As you go about pulling items, think about creating an open, welcoming feel throughout your home. If you have lots of bulky, awkward belongings crowding your home, or if you need extra storage space, another solution is to store items offsite.
You want to avoid filling closets and sheds to the brim, since when buyers stumble onto those spaces, they might think their own things won’t fit. Contemplate what type of storage unit would work best for the items you’re going to stash — climate-controlled, indoor, outdoor, and so forth — and take an inventory to guestimate how much room you need. To give you an idea of price, the overall average cost of a self-storage unit booked in Omaha, Nebraska over the past 180 days is $59.92.
Room to Move
As a general guideline, you want your home to have open floor space with obvious traffic patterns. Traditional Home notes it’s best to arrange your furniture so house hunters can go from room to room comfortably without having to dodge around pieces, and gathering places should include obvious conversational groupings.
Clean as a Whistle
With extra belongings out of the way, a thorough, deep cleaning is your next step. Eliminate dirt, dust, and any lingering odors, such as from trash and pets. Don’t overlook subtler sources of odors like a trash compactor or a musty basement. Carpet cleaning is often a practical step, brightening the space underfoot at the same time.
Recolor Your World
With a spotless home, it’s an ideal time to address your home’s color scheme. A neutral decor extends to the hues on your walls as well as style and belongings, and paint is one of the easiest, least expensive ways to achieve that atmosphere. Better Homes & Gardens suggests a palette in shades of grey, ivory, off-white, or soft tans. It’s easy for both you and the buyer to work with, and can brighten and soften the rooms.
Finishing Touches
To pull things together, think about adding some inexpensive, classic finishing touches throughout your home. Throw pillows that match the wall color, inexpensive window coverings, a bowl of fruit in the kitchen, and a wreath on the front door will make house hunters feel at ease in the space. Once complete, you can either hire a professional photographer or DIY the task.
While preparing your home for sale presents some unique challenges, you give yourself a much better presentation when you follow these basic guidelines. With the right education and preparation, getting your home ready for sale is simple and easy.
Patrick created Able USA to offer resources and advice to others with disabilities in an effort to help them navigate the various aspects of life as a person with a disability.