Preparing Your House to Sell

Selling your home is a stressful time for many. It is one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime and being prepared is the key to lessening your stress.

Many realtors provide great advice on ways to increase the value of your home before it is listed. My insight as an interior designer will provide you with easy and cost effective ideas that will give prospective clients the “wow” factor the minute they walk into your home.

I often start with paint color since it provides the greatest impact. Than I advise clients to pretend they are a first time visitor to their own home. Stand at the front doorway and look to see where your eye goes. Are you looking at something appealing or are you looking through a window that has an ugly view of your neighbor’s backyard? Work towards having a pleasing welcome to your home by camouflaging spaces that are not appealing. Fresh or silk plants can do wonders to hide unwanted areas and act as fillers for spaces like empty corners. Fresh flowers can provide a burst of color for a dining table, a bathroom, or kitchen counter. Area rugs and inexpensive framed prints for the walls can easily create a lived-in look. During an open house I suggest playing soft, relaxing music. Music can set the tone and feel of your home and suggest to the prospective buyer that the home is ready and they can move right in!

Create a conversation area in the living or family room so prospective buyers can visualize how they might use the space with their furnishings. Try to work the conversation area around a focal point of the room perhaps a beautiful fireplace or pleasing view. Create the area with a sofa, one or two chairs, a coffee table and one or two side tables. Utilize furniture from other parts of your home. Try using the couch on an angle or as a divider between two areas of the room. Couches do not have to always be alongside a wall or in front of a window. If your budget allows, invest in some inexpensive window coverings for the room or rooms you have selected for your focus. Simple valances or drapery will dress your windows and bring cohesiveness to the entire space. Select a neutral color fabric for the window coverings so you will be able to use them again in your new home. Experiment and have fun with it. Before you know it you will have a room that is appealing to the eye that will excite the prospective buyer.

Once all of the visual elements have been addressed, consider incorporating some scent. People react to scents and the smell of freshly baked cookies, scented oils or lit candles will add to the overall ambiance and add a sense of freshness to your home.

I hope you find these suggestions useful and easy to implement when preparing your home for sale. An appealing and fresh new look for your home will definitely attract eager buyers!

This article appeared in the North Seattle Herald Outlook.

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