Home Staging – Decreasing Clutter 2 Increase The Traffic

The NEW YEAR has arrived and thousands of homeowners are now making plans, for preparing to sell their home for market in the Spring. But in order to sell your home successfully, you need more than a sign in the lawn, and pretty furniture inside.

Knowing what buyers are “currently” looking for in a home, including what’s hot and what not for kitchens and bathrooms, along with what price buyers are willing to spend in “your neighborhood” for a home, is the critical balance that Real Estate Agents and Home Staging Professionals face everyday, and why their knowledge and experience can make your home selling process a success.

First and most importantly, if you want more traffic, you need less clutter…

Does your home create a feeling of warmth, peace and coziness, or does the world seem to stop as soon as you enter, making you feel uneasy, as you step over shoes, toys, & more. For many homeowners, decluttering is not only a hard decision making process of what needs to go and what needs to stay, but many homeowners also believe that simply decluttering equals Staging. The truth is, even though ecluttering is a very important step in to a successful sale, decluttering is only the 1st of many steps, in the Home Staging Process. Did you know that a 2011 HomeGain’s Report stated that even just simple cleaning and decluttering of a home can bring you 85% ROI? Add that with Staging a home and you have 80% ROI that brings you closer to being that financially successful seller you dreamed of being.

So where do you start with removing the excess and putting away the treasures? First let me say that no one wants a home stripped of all character or decor. There is a tender balance in creating a home that is clean and sparkling, yet bold and full of character. This is where a Professional Home Stager can assist you. As a homeowner here are some steps you can take right now, even before your Agent and or Professional Stager walk in the door.

Allow buyers to see the beauty of your home and not your items that you personally treasure. Put away large collections of cherished items as they only distract buyers from seeing the real beauty your home has to offer. Remember boxing away these items are only temporary, and will be brought to life again in your new home.

From excess appliances on the kitchen counter, to personal items on bathroom sinks, to the toys in little Johnny’s room that just would fit in his toy box anymore, are all signs that clutter is present.Clutter is the biggest turn off for buyers. Not only is it unsightly, but it also tells buyers that there is simply not enough room in your home for storage and more than likely the reason you are moving.

Closets need to be streamlined and simplified along with all cabinets and drawers. Basements and garages are the worst areas for clutter and unsightly storage. If you have more than your home storage areas can bare, consider getting a temporary storage unit or a portable pod to store the excess items in while selling your home. Truth is the longer you have lived in a home, the more items you have probably collected over the years.

Selling your home is a huge responsibility, but it can also be one of the most profitable experiences as well, providing you give your home the necessary ingredients to be successful. Show buyers the value in purchasing your home. Show them the reason you originally feel in love with that home and make that dream come alive again, for the next family that dreams of starting a life there.