Sometimes it isn't easy to see anyone other than yourself living in your house. However, the ability to separate yourself from the many wonderful memories you made living there is the lynchpin to your success in getting it sold quickly and efficiently; and will allow you to move onto your next adventure, whatever that may be!
No matter what the reason is for your move, one thing is certain: It's happening. You have made the decision to leave the house you have for a new opportunity that you are hopefully excited about! In order to help your potential buyers to access the exact same emotional feelings of excitement and anticipation that you felt when you first fell in love with it, you have to arrange it in a way that will entice and excite your buyer.
There are a few things that you can do to make your buyers see themselves and their future in the home that gave you such wonderful memories.
One: Remove as much of the day-to-day objects as you can. This is critical. My mentor when I first got into real estate, the heavyweight Michelle Maida, of John L. Scott, had the "rule of three". I wholeheartedly endorse this rule. The rule states that no surface in your house should have more than three objects on it! If you think about that for a moment, you'll likely notice that your counters are severely cluttered for a place that is for sale. Get that stuff out of there! If you have a shed on the property, put your stuff in there and lock it. Make that place empty, save of only the prettiest pieces of furniture in the home. Heirlooms, which could as easily belong to someone else as to you, are fine.
Keep the specific family-oriented pieces out of the mix. You want your buyer to buy their future memories, and they will never be interested in buying your past. That's just the way it is. You wouldn't want their memories either, would you? That old non-working vending machine in the man cave is just collecting dust. Get rid of it. It's not helping you market your house to the people who WANT to buy it. There aren't enough homes for the people looking. If yours is having troubles, look at two factors: PRICE, and APPEARANCE. Those are likely the culprits.
Two: What do the walls look like? Is your now twenty-something daughter's bedroom wall neon pink? It does not cost very much for a couple gallons of neutrally colored paint to cover that up. Neutral colors allow your buyer to put herself in the house, with her objects, in her mind as she's walking through. Specific accents and fixtures that you may love, may be what stops someone who otherwise would jump on your home from writing an offer. It's silly, but something as simple as a gaudy chandelier can keep it from selling. It's just a light! But it can do damage to the likability of your listing. If your tastes are too quirky, admit it and ask a conservative friend for help in getting it fixed up. Not too expensive, but a world of difference.
Three: Furniture should be sparsely placed, the home should be very, very clean. And I mean this. This doesn't mean clean like how it's clean when you live in it. Have it professionally cleaned and keep it this way. It's a museum piece until the money is in your account. Treat your house like a museum gallery full of your art that you made. Your Realtor is the Docent, accompanying discerning art lovers as they peruse the work that you have done. Museums are clean, sparse, and yet inviting. The temperature is perfect at all times, the art is lit properly...
Which brings me to my next point. Lighting is critical. If you've been rockin' LED's for a couple years and you're used to the whiteness of the light in your home, that's great. But when people think of Home, they think warmth. Change those bulbs out with warm, yellow lights that invite them to consider living in it. Besides, those LED are expensive. Hold onto them for your next place. They last 40 years anyway!
Whatever your reason for moving, you are doing it. Do it right. Get your buyer, trust your Realtor to get you the best possible price for the market, and move on to your next adventure. It's the cleanest way for you to close this chapter in your life. Bring the great memories of your time in this home with you, and set your buyer up for equally great memories in their future.
Once you decide to sell, it becomes a House. It's your buyer's Home. Make that switch in your mind and you will do everything right.
That's my advice.
And call me! I answer my phone.
Zack Rouse Summa Real Estate Associates, Portland, OR
503.381.0552
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