When you are getting ready to sell your home, one of the most important things you can do is declutter your home both inside and outside.

Decluttering your home involves going through every room and removing any items that are not essential to your day-to-day functioning. The first thing to realize when you are selling your home is that you are actually selling the space in the home. Of course, the floor plan, square footage and location are important, but buyers are looking at your home and trying to imagine themselves living there. The goal is to get buyers to look at the space and all the possibilities it offers.

The way you live in your home and the way you market your home are two different things. The goal is to de-personalize your home so that the buyer can mentally move in. It may be easier to think of this as pre-packing. You will eventually have to do this anyway. But, by packing your personal belongings early, it will be much easier to show the house as it will be easier to keep everything neat and tidy. The house will also look bigger.

Tips to help you declutter the inside of your home:

  1. Remove all personal pictures, certificates, awards from the walls. These can distract buyers from the features of the house.
  2. Make sure all rooms are picked up. Remove unnecessary books/magazines, yoga mats and miscellaneous exercise equipment. Collections of antique dolls, cars, etc should be packed away. Pick up children’s toys. Beds should be made.
  3. Remove any excess furnishings.
  4. Keep rooms bright with good lighting and neutral colors.
  5. Polish the hardwood floors, clean the carpets, scrub down the baseboards, clean the corners.

Tips to help you declutter the outside of your home:

  1. When a buyer pulls up to the property, this will be their first impression. It’s important to make it a good one.
  2. The yard should be kept neat, trimmed and edged. Flowers are always a nice touch.
  3. Clean and repair any broken walkways.
  4. Trim the trees and bushes. Trim them, edge them, square or round them off.
  5. Paint the fence (if needed).
  6. Lawn equipment should be stored in a shed or placed in the garage.
  7. Firewood neatly stacked.

Carol Stancliff

 

Carol Stancliff is a native of Georgia and has been in Montana since 2008. After selling her home in Georgia, she and her husband Rick traveled the country for several years before they chose to call Dillon and Beaverhead County home. Carol began her real estate career in 2005 after working for a real estate attorney for 20 years. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and personal attention will make buying or selling your home a pleasure.

Contact Carol at cstancliff@beaverheadhomeandranch.com or direct at 770-715-4284.