A few good ideas to make your house more marketable.
In addition to
removing excess clutter in closets, drawers, the basement and garage, there are
nine things they should get rid of (or move to another location) right away.
1. Personal paperwork
– This includes bills, invoices, letters from government agencies, taxes,
wills, etc. Maybe you currently store
them in a file folder on your desk. A
type of freestanding file. Or post on a
bulletin board. Remove them and put them
in a safe place so potential buyers aren’t tempted to peek at them. It also helps to prevent identify theft.
2. Money – You may
have a coin jar where you deposit your loose change. Or dollars stuffed in a drawer for
emergencies. Put them in a safe place
for now—like the bank!
3. Weapons, guns,
ammunition – Don’t just hide these…remove them from your home. If a potential buyer discovers your hiding
place, they may wonder if the neighborhood is safe. Or, they may unwittingly mention it to someone
else (who might just be a thief).
4. Coats & shoes
– If you have a coat rack by the back door and a place where everyone takes off
their shoes, you may want to remove them.
A mess at the back door may mean that there’s not enough storage
space. You want the area to look spacious and clean.
5. Family photos – If
you have a ton of framed photos sitting on a table, on the fireplace mantle, or
hanging in a hallway, well, homebuyers can easily get distracted by them,
including asking questions about the “sellers” living there now. The goal is to get them to view your home—not
your pictures.
6. Jewelry and
valuables – In addition to putting away your jewelry and valuables, hide your
jewelry box, your stamp or coin collection, and your valuable antiques such as
vases, figurines, or artwork.
7. Medicines – Don’t
just hide it…remove it! There are many
reports of both prescription and non-prescription medicine being stolen from
listed homes.
8. De-clutter
countertops and tables – Removing almost everything from the countertops and
tables (see #4 and #5) will make the home seem more spacious.
9. Magnets on the
refrigerator – enough said!