Remove Clutter
This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages, attics, and basements.Take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help point out areas of clutter. Let your agent help you, too.
Kitchen Clutter
The kitchen is a good place to start removing clutter, because it is an easy place to start. First, get everything off the counters. Everything. Even the toaster. Put the toaster in a cabinet and take it out when you use it. Find a place where you can store everything in cabinets and drawers. Of course, you may notice that you do not have cabinet space to put everything. Clean them out. The dishes, pots and pans that rarely get used? Put them in a box and put that box in storage, too.
Homebuyers will open all your cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen. They want to be sure there is enough room for their “stuff.” If your kitchen cabinets, pantries, and drawers look jammed full, it sends a negative message to the buyer and does not promote an image of plentiful storage space. The best way to do that is to have as much “empty space” as possible.
For that reason, if you have a “junk drawer,” get rid of the junk. If you have a rarely used crock pot, put it in storage. Do this with every cabinet and drawer. Create open space.
If you have a large amount of foodstuffs crammed into the shelves or pantry, begin using them – especially canned goods. Canned goods are heavy and you don’t want to be lugging them to a new house, anyway – or paying a mover to do so. Let what you have on the shelves determine your menus and use up as much as you can.
Beneath the sink is very critical, too. Make sure the area beneath the sink is as empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies. You should scrub the area down as well, and determine if there are any tell-tale signs of water leaks that may cause a homebuyer to hesitate in buying your home.
Closet Clutter
Closets are great for accumulating clutter, though you may not think of it as clutter. We are talking about extra clothes and shoes – things you rarely wear but cannot bear to be without. Do without these items for a couple of months by putting them in a box, because these items can make your closets look “crammed full.” Sometimes there are shoeboxes full of “stuff” or other accumulated personal items, too.
Furniture Clutter
Many people have too much furniture in certain rooms – not too much for your own personal living needs – but too much to give the illusion of space that a homebuyer would like to see. You may want to tour some builders’ models to see how they place furniture in the model homes. Observe how they place furniture in the models so you get some ideas on what to remove and what to leave in your house.
Storage Area Clutter
Basements, garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter, but junk. These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential and take it to the storage area. Or have a garage sale.
Team Patereau will be happy to walk through your home and let you know the areas you need to give your attention to before we put up the “For Sale” sign. Contact us – we’re anxious to hear from you.
Getting Ready to Sell Your Home – Tip #2
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Ugly faucets really turn off potential buyers. Leaking, water-marked and stained faucets, faucets with crystal acrylic knobs in the bathroom look cheap and can be hard to use. Replace them with a faucet and handle set that matches the existing fixture’s configuration (centerset or widespread) and meets the standard of the Americans with Disabilities Act with flipper- or lever-style handles. Polished-chrome finish will cost you the least and still be durable. Plus, the National Kitchen & Bath Association says that the finish is enjoying a surge in popularity over brushed or satin finishes.Team Patereau will be happy to walk through your home and let you know the areas you need to give your attention to before we put up the “For Sale” sign. Contact us – we’re anxious to hear from you.
Shopping Local Today
Thanksgiving Greeting
We’re thankful for you!
Team Patereau – Susan & Rick
Pre-Thanksgiving DIY Week-End Checklist
You have time this week-end to get prepared for the big Thanksgiving holiday coming up. Here’s a checklist for you to go over to make sure everything is working in and around your house so you and your guests will fully enjoy the holiday.We particularly like these helpful ideas:
- If you must deep-fry your turkey, do it outside.
- Place a plunger next to your toilet to avoid embarrassing your guests who have to ask you for one.
Thanksgiving pre-preparation pays off!
Ellen does Real Estate
Ellen DeGeneres is funny. Real Estate is fun, but not necessarily funny. Until Ellen does Real Estate.
Thank You Veterans
Half of our Team, the Rick half, is a veteran. He was in the Marine Corp from 1965 to 1969, and served 13 months in Vietnam. Thank you Rick. And thank you to ALL Veterans everywhere.
posted by the other half of the team, Susan
Getting Ready to Sell Your Home – Tip #1
Thinking about what to do to your house to get it ready to sell? Here’s one of the things that Buyers really hate, and that Sellers can remedy before putting their house on the market that won’t break the bank, but will dramatically improve the sell-ability: Popcorn ceilings.If you’ve lived with a popcorn ceiling, you know that it accumulates dirt, defies cleaning and is impossible to paint. Worse, if your home was built prior to the mid-1980s, it may contain asbestos.
Removal is a messy and laborious process, with or without asbestos. The material must be wetted down and scraped and the underlying wallboard wiped clean. Once the popcorn is gone, the ceiling is usually repaired with joint compound, textured and painted. Even if there’s no asbestos, you probably should hire a drywall or painting contractor for the job.
Before you tackle this job or any others, contact us. Team Patereau will gladly tour your home and make suggestions about what needs to be done, and what not to worry about in the current market. We’d love to hear from you.
