Homes that appeal to buyers - part I

Have you just decided to sell your house?

Or maybe you put your house on the market some time ago but nobody really seems to be interested in buying it? In both cases you need to stage your home for success!

Why the property doesn't sell

It happens quite often that people can't sell their property quickly and for the right price. There are many reasons, with most of them being only cosmetic. Of course, cosmetic does not mean a damaged roof, rotted windows frames or a major problem with the heating system. Cosmetic means too many pieces of furniture, the wrong wall colour, or too many personal touches.

How to make it happen

If you really want, you can transform your home into a product that can be marked for sale. You just need to depersonalize it, and this is not a decorating process. Decorators personalize a house so that it becomes a home; stagers remove much of the personalization so that the buyers can envisage moving into the space. People will not buy a house until they can see themselves living there. This is really hard to achieve when the house is full of the owners pictures, artwork, furniture, etc. Buyers end up being distracted by all these things, rather than looking at the space itself. They have to be able to visualize how they, their belongings, and their personalities will fit inside the space.

We know how difficult it can be removing all the personal belongings that you love, or that you have collected over many years, but remember selling a house is a business transaction; what is more, you are not throwing your belongings away. As soon as you move to your new house, your belongings will find a new place.

Basic rules

Are you ready to take this step? Are you ready to dress your house for success and emphasize the attributes that will appeal to buyers? If you answer yes, below you can find the few basic rules that can help you to achieve it.

• Make a great first impression.
• Make a staging - a focal point for each room.
• Remove all clutter.
• Use a lot of light to give a spacious feeling.
• Make the house generic; do not use strong colours.
• Create warmth; set the dining room table.

Home buyers know exactly how many rooms you have before they see the house. What you really need to do is help them to imagine their own life and tastes where yours are now. Make it happen. Set the stage for the next happy owner!

Monika Bien-Konigsman

The article was published in 123 Property News, March 2008