Tip #1 Get Your House Ready to Sell

A good deal of my time is spent showing property to buyers so I have a lot of experience listening to what they say and how they react to things that attract, detract and puzzle a buyer.

Declutter. You've probably heard that many times but here it is again in detail.

It means that the prospective buyer can't imagine themselves and their things in your home if your decorating is overwhelming.
It means that too much in a room will make it feel cramped and difficult to navigate.

It means that the prospective buyer is considering how many holes will be left behind in a wall and will they need to repaint.

It means there will be trapped dust bunnies you may overlook but the prospective buyer may not.

1. Start by removing the big things like excess furniture and rearrange furniture so that it's easy for a couple to walk around a room, through a doorway or to another doorway. You may choose to have a garage sale, sell on craigslist or rent a storage unit for a short time. As long as you keep attic access, utilities and doorways clear, it's OK to use garage space for some storage.

2. You will have to pack to move so start now by packing up collectibles, photos and other knickknacks you have displayed on table tops, shelves and dresser tops. Surfaces don't need to be bare but one or two items ( a lamp or a lamp and a decorative box) should be enough. Clean out closets so they look more spacious. This may be a good time to decide what you want to keep and move. When I was getting my home ready, I visited Goodwill, a used bookstore and the trash can.

3. Minimize decoratives on the walls like photos, certificates and art. These elements can distract a buyer from the home while they try to figure out what you do for a living, how old you may be and if those are your children or grandchildren.



You may not be moving to a smaller space but my enewsletter has some great tips on Scaling Down Your Stuff.

Decluttering should be your first step in getting ready to sell your house because after you do that, it will be easier to see what else needs to be done.

Homes sellers are also homebuyers. If you are in the Austin, Texas area and are planning to sell and/or buy a house - search for homes, contact me for a FREE home market analysis and marketing plan or help finding and purchasing your new home. Robin Scott, REALTOR® 512.589.7988 or robinscottrealtor@gmail.com