Tips on how to fix your house
up to sell.
Open the drapes and blinds. Sunshine is the world's best
decorator and nothing is more depressing than walking into a
home where shades, curtains and drapes are closed. The buyer is
likely not a character out of Wind in the Willows and will leave
with the impression of a dark and claustrophobic property.
Wash the windows - inside and out. For the same reasons as
above, no other small improvement will give you more bang than
this.
Clean up the yard. You've heard of curb appeal? How about unseen
from the curb? Cut back overgrown shrubs, particularly those
that obscure windows or make it difficult to get to the front
door. Mow the grass. Rake or pick up downed leaves and branches.
Put away lawn tools, kids' toys and discard or store any outdoor
furniture that is rusty or ragged. If season and funds permit,
put down some colorful annuals or put a few nicely planted
containers on or near the front porch.
Clutter Control. You have heard this a thousand times, but
de-cluttering and organizing a home is very important and not
just to make the place look neat.
Also, you want to make room for the buyers own things. If the
living room is jammed with furniture the buyer might not be able
to figure out where his own stuff will go. It does no good to
explain that your stuff won't be there when he moves in. Some
people just can't visualize. If you can't get rid of some of
your home clutter- house plants for example - round them up and
make a single display rather than have them in dribs and drabs
through a room or the whole house.
Clean your kitchen and bathrooms - Scrub like crazy,
particularly the kitchen and bath(s). The kitchen may be old but
it can still sparkle. Clean the stovetop with a good degreaser
and all countertops with whatever it takes to remove stains and
discoloration. Wash the front of all cupboards and appliances
and keep the floor swept and scrubbed for the life of the
listing. De-clutter here too, especially the refrigerator door
(death by a thousand knives for the inventor of the refrigerator
magnet). Now we are getting into the more expensive staging
suggestions, but the next few things will really help you
prepare your house to sell if they are needed and you can afford
to do them.
Refinish hardwood floors. These are a major selling point when
selling your home and sometimes a home's most compelling
feature. Often they don't need complete refinishing, just to be
roughed up and polyurethaned to obtain that killer shine. If
yours are looking tough give a couple of pros a call and check
out the price. In some markets several rooms can be extensively
refinished for less than $1,000.00.
Paint / Repaint Your Home. If your taste in decorating is a bit,
shall we say strong, it may pay you to hire a professional to
tone down some of the more dramatic color rooms. Many people
love dark red dining rooms, but none of them may be looking at
your house. Neutral colors are best for marketing your home for
sale.
Buy, borrow or rent what you need. If your furniture shows the
effect of raising five kids or if pets have ruined the rugs and
upholstery think about storing or getting rid of your existing
furniture and finding just enough more attractive stuff to get
by. If your nest is empty and the kids' rooms are beaten up,
throw out the furniture, give the walls a quick wash coat of
paint and put one or two small flea market pieces - a hobby
horse, a bean-bag chair, the old bassinette from the attic - in
the room to merely "suggest" its use. A rocker, table lamp and a
pile or books in an otherwise bare room gives it the feel of a
cozy study and so forth. If you want to go all out there are
dozens of companies, some of them national, that will rent a
roomful or a houseful of furniture on short term contracts. Not
cheap, but maybe worth looking into.
Good Interior Design
is one of the most important investments we will ever make. Our
surroundings can have a beautiful impact on our lives. We desire
to design interiors that not only cater to your every need, but
also improve your quality of life and surroundings. Whether it
is a residential or commercial project, we at Edward Allan
Designs look forward to being of service for your every need.
Allan Retterath, founder of
Edward Allan Designs,
brings over 28 years of design and industry experience. The
majority of his experience includes working closely with
Architects, Custom Home Developers, and a variety of clients
throughout the country. Edward Allan Design's philosophy is to
create beautiful, functional, and timeless interiors that
reflect the client's personality and lifestyle. Integrating
equally important client needs with quality design, our goal is
to achieve an environment that would be more than you could ever
imagine. Edward Allan
Design's formula for Staging your home to sell is a proven
method which will get you optimal result in the shortest time
possible.
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