Shhh..Top Secret: How my clients sold their home in ONE week.
Oscar and Veronica had found their perfect forever home in Newtown. This meant that they needed to sell their condo FAST. They had done a few changes here and there, but their home was not market ready for this to happen. Changes had to be done, so together we came up with a plan.
They had made a few upgrades to their two bedroom condo in Danbury. Crown molding, woodwork throughout, flooring, and paint. It was already beautiful! But with small kids, a dog, and too much of everything (clothing, shoes, toys, etc etc etc) this young couple had a lot to do, but I helped them all along the way.. LITERALLY!
With a few tips to prepare their home to present it in the best light using their own furniture and accessories, and most importantly their commitment to keep it up; their home sold in ONE WEEK!
So how they did it? I am sharing with you My Top Tips that will help you get your home ready and position it on top of the competition for a quick sale and for the highest price.
A beautiful front porch is CRUCIAL for a fast sale, as it not only welcomes visitors, but it is one of the first things they will see, so decorate it with a warm, inviting style that makes it easy for the buyers to imagine themselves living there.
Even if you have a tiny stoop, make it say âWelcome Homeâ with a clean doormat, potted plants; and if you have room, one or two pieces of porch furniture.Â
Make sure to keep your porch lights on in the evenings; potential homebuyers tend to drive by to see how the property looks like at night. Illuminating the front walkway with lights is a very nice extra touch. There are many inexpensive options including solar lighting that you can purchase at your local Home Depot and Walmart.
Get your home sparkling clean. From shinning floors and gleaming windows to clean counters and scrubbed grout, every surface should sparkle!
This is the easiest way to help your home put its best foot forward. This step is KEY!Â
Here is a picture of how Veronica and Oscarâs condo looked like after we did some staging and declutteing.Â
If you are serious about selling your home, all clutter MUST GO!
It will not be easy, but it is well worth the trouble.You need to show potential buyers a spacious and organized home, so purge anything unnecessary or unsightly.
Decluttering is probably one of the hardest aspects of staging for sellers. Itâs hard to put away all the âstuffâ that youâre so used to seeing on a daily basis.  But remember,  buyers donât want to see all your school schedules, soccer cleats, homework,etc everything must be put away!
Pack up your countertop appliances. Â Countertop appliances eat up counter space. Not a good thing especially if you have limited counter space. Â The last thing you need is a counter full of toasters, blenders, microwaves, baskets full of papers, etc. Â If you donât have a built-in microwave, put it away. Â They just advertise that you donât have a built-in microwave.
The plan with Veronica and Oscar was to go room by room and packing what they were going to bring to their new home, and throw away or donate the rest. Veronica hired a cleaning crew to help, and had someone she trusted (ME) overseeing that she wonât keep unnesesary items. This was crucial in this process. Donât be shy on asking for help from friends and/or family.
Look at how Veronica and Oscarâs kitchen looked like after we decluttered and freed the counter space. It was very hard for them to keep it up because they had young children, but they did it and their home sold extremely fast!
6. STYLE YOUR DINNING ROOM TABLE
The dinning room is often a blind spot in decorating the home. A bare dinning room table can look uninviting, so styling it up with visitors in mind, can increase the appeal.Â
An oversize arrangement can look stiff and formal, so try lining up one or a series of smaller vessels down the center of the table instead.
Veronica and Oscarâs dinning room had already beautiful features with woodwork, crown molding and walls painted in a natural and inviting color. We decluttered and staged this area. Just a few changes went a long way!
7. RE ARRANGE YOUR FURNITURE
In the living room, symetrical arrangements usually work well. Pull your furniture off the walls, and use pairs (sofas, chairs, lamps) to create an inviting conversation area.
Just know that visitors will peek inside your closets, so show off their full advantage by getting rid of excess items. They will appear larger and spacious.
We left only 20-30% of open space in each closet to give the impression of spaciousness.Â
If you have children, a big challenge is to keep toys organized. Â When people are house hunting, they are imagining a fresh start. Show them that in this house, it is possible to have a beautifully organized kidâs room, and they will fall in love!Â
Veronica made sure to pack 99% of the toys that were left from the original purging. Remember, you are moving anyways.. so pack pack pack! When selling your home... LESS is MORE!
If you have pets, get all rugs steam cleaned and be extra vigilant about vacuuming and washing surfaces. Also make sure to keep any pet toys hidden when tours are scheduled. Food, toys, beds.. all must be put away during showings.
Also, make sure to bring your pet with you while scheduled showings; it will let buyers appreciate your home with ease.
Create a lifestyle people are looking for. Even if you have a small balcony, play it up with cheerful table and chairs; a little tray of dishes or a vase of flowers make a big difference. Potencial buyers will envision themselves living the lifestyle.
Curb appeal, like the front porch is extremely important. Make sure your home is ready to lure potential buyers with these tips:
Power wash siding and walkways
Hang easy to read house numbers
Plant blooming flowers and fresh greenery
Mow lawn, and add fresh mulch.
Repaint or stain porch floor.
Preparing your home for sale is CRUCIAL Â to show off its true potential, highlight your homeâs strenghts and downplay its weaknesses. Homebuyers will fall in love as they imagine themselves living in it.
My efforts to market your home begin before it is even listed for sale. I make sure your home is in perfect condition for when it hits the market. As part of my professional services, I provide you with staging consultation using your own furniture; We can also work together with my professional stagers, or I can provide you with virtual staging if you are working on a budget.
Excellence is about service, not a price point.
~ Veronica and Oscar accepted an offer on their condo after ONE WEEK of it being in the market. They worked very hard decluttering and getting rid of many things that they didnt need. They kept up with the organization and cleanliness and it paid off.
 They are now living with their two girls and their dog in their beautiful home in Newtown where they are surrounded by soccer cleats, swimming gear, barbeques, friends, family and love!
William Pitt Sothebyâs International Realty
