Want to know a secret to selling your home faster? De-clutter it! In highly competitive real estate markets like Greater Fort Lauderdale, successful sellers help make their homes stand out by removing clutter and personal items.
Imagine a crowded restaurant with many groups of people having lively conversations, loud music playing overhead and staff trying to be heard above the din; you don’t want your home to be that restaurant when potential buyers enter.
BEFORE
This cramped room with bright pink walls and over-sized accessories is likely to deter potential buyers. SOURCE: HGTV.com
AFTER
A neutral wall color, less furniture and smaller accessories make the room seem larger and more appealing to buyers. SOURCE: HGTV.com
5 Benefits of Clearing Clutter
- Buyers have a clear view of your home and not your possessions.
- Selling features of your home can be highlighted, including windows, molding and cabinetry.
- Buyers can picture themselves in your home easier when there are less of your memories like family photographs, school report cards and children art projects.
- Rooms seem bigger.
- Kitchen counter space seems more abundant.
You don’t have to be a minimalist when it comes time to sell your South Florida home; simply clearing clutter will improve your chance of piquing a buyer’s interest. The goal is to make your home neutral, so buyers can picture themselves moving in their belongings.
There are two ways you can accomplish a neutral home. The first is to purchase a storage unit and move your personal items there. The second is to go through the exercise of determining what you want to keep and what can be donated, say to a charity. An added benefit of the second option is an easier, less-encumbered move after your home is sold.
Here are a few tips to consider when de-cluttering your home:
- Remove personal items like photos and store them.
- Recycle that stack of magazines and newspapers you’ve been meaning to read, but just haven’t found the time.
- Minimize furniture to help rooms look bigger. Yes that might mean putting your favorite recliner in storage.
- Tidy closets. Out of site doesn’t mean out of mind. Serious buyers will look in closets and you don’t want them to be alarmed at how much you can cram into them.
- Remove unnecessary appliances from kitchen counters and clear magnets, honey-do lists and art projects from refrigerator doors.
- Clear non-essential items from bathroom counters. If you haven’t already, think about adding fresh towels and soaps like they do in a hotel or spa. Think Zen.
- Keep only a few healthy plants. If you don’t have any, think about getting one or two with flowers to add life to your home. Dead plants, including the dried roses you got ten years ago, tend to suck the life out of your home.
- Organize your pantry so it looks more like the shelves at your local grocery store.
- Remove items from your nightstand like tissues boxes, books and pictures.
- Tone down bright wall colors; the Pepto-bismol pink accent wall may complement your furniture and make you feel happy, but it might clash with a potential buyer’s orange lounge chair.
We know clearing clutter can be a daunting task. As part of our listing services, we can help you determine which items should be cleared and which will help your home sell quicker. Contact us for more information.
