Our House
If April showers bring May flowers, why not take advantage of working indoors this month when the rain is upon you and keeping you from enjoying the outdoors!
This Month’s Tip: Staging. It works well for anyone looking to sell this year. When discussing staging with our clients, we always suggest getting rid of the clutter first. We all know what clutter is, but clutter in real estate terms means to collect, box, and pack up anything that won’t be used in the next six months- a month to prepare, a month to sell, a month to buy, a month to unpack, and two months to get settled. This is a great time to donate and to educate yourself on storage facilities.
Start with closets. Get everything possible off the floor and pack the clothing that you won’t be using anytime soon. This makes your closets feel much larger which is very important to every buyer.
Move to the pantry. Organize and categorize everything on the two most prevalent shelves- think eye level for tall people and short alike.
Focus on all the surfaces of the home. Remove close to half of what you have on nightstands, coffee tables, buffets, shelving, etc. It’s okay for surfaces to feel bare because if you have too much stuff, buyers will focus on those items rather than the aesthetics of your home. Do you want them to remember your stuff and be a funny nickname house or do you want to be remembered for something awesome that only your property is providing at that time? We like to group things in odd numbers on any type of shelving- whether that is a china cabinet, baker’s rack or a fireplace mantle while also using elements within your home to help accentuate a space. You may need to make a space feel taller with tall candlesticks, brighter with an addition of an existing mirror in a dark hallway (another way for buyers to literally see themselves in your home), or jubilant with a bowl of green apples on a countertop.
Now, for the last touches. Keep all of your hard-covered books handy and locate all of your white dinnerware. Use the books to elevate items and place bowls on plates in place settings to brighten up your spaces.
Remember this. “We don’t sell houses like we live in them- no one lives in a perfectly neat-all-the-time-home with empty corners. If you feel your house is bare and basic, then you have done it right and are in the right place.
-Tom and Julie Douglass
[email protected], [email protected]
205-999-2780, 205-999-4153
Look for more Home Tips from Tom and Julie Douglass in next month’s issue of BCF! You can also learn more about them and receive real estate tips all month long by following them on Facebook and Instagram!
