How Your HOUSE Might be Holding You Back from an Offer

Entry #285, September 24, 2010

Since the home market crisis over the last two years it has been easy to pin blame on why your home isn’t selling.  Although, there also could be another root of blame… your own home isn’t appealing to buyers.  If you are serious about selling your home, the following tips may help.  Check out this post from the archives at Stagetecture last year. After doing these tips you may be surprised by the new found attention you get from potential homebuyers!

Make sure your home isn't holding you back!

Original Entry #5, September 10, 2009

What attracted you to your home 5 years ago, was the great views of the lake outside. You also loved the great fireplace, and how the

spaces flowed from room to room. Now your house is up for sale, and each potential home buyer that comes in your home, wants to know how can you think you can sell it.

They can’t see any views!  Your curio cabinet of glass miniature collections are blocking the fireplace.  The  over sized furniture and abundance of kids push-toys throughout the room, do not show off the flowing quality of the home.

Solution: De-clutter and show off amenities of the outside, from the inside.

Here are tips for visually and physically adding space to a room:

• Minimize large furniture in small rooms. Make sure there is ample walking area around all furniture, and traffic patterns in and out of the room are not blocked.  You should be able to have at least 2 ft. of space around most, if not all your furniture. More than 2 ft. if it’s a major traffic area, or leaving to and from another room.
• Remove excess accessories, collectibles, and items that clutter furniture display areas.
• Visit model homes, look through magazines to get ideas of how a home attracts buyer’s.

Views:

Maximize the views to the outdoors

Show off the view, and bring fresh sunlight in!

• Don’t block windows, doorway’s, porch’s or any “visual” entryway’s. People naturally enjoy sunlight and seeing outside from the inside. Why do you think property costs more when it has a view? Anything from a pond, lake, ocean, mountains, even a wooded view is preferred to l0oking out at the corner supermarket!  Even if you don’t have the perfect lot, being able to have sunlight, and fresh breezes are preferred over a closed in space.
• Place live plants in a room to bring in the outdoors.  Artificial plants are a great alternative if they look believable and are not full of dust!!
• In spaces that are dark, or don’t have adequate natural light, consider painting the walls with lighter colors. Neutral colors are always a safe choice, and will attract most buyer’s eyes.

Focal points:

If you have one, maximize it! Amenities such as fireplaces, architectural features, views, lanai’s, etc.. are examples. Even item’s that you have brought yourself: Artwork, sculptures, fountains can also be focal points. Use the furniture in the room to direct the buyer’s eyes in that direction.


Create a focal point in your space

Your home has the potential to appeal to buyers when it is organized, free of clutter, and maximizes its potential. Use these tips to prevent excuses about why your home hasn’t received an offer!

For more home staging tips, click here.