We’re working on a house that hasn’t been lived in for the past couple of years. The outside needed lots of help and we’re in the middle of getting it ready to go on the market. It made me remember the blog we published regarding the importance of outside staging, so I’m re-publishing that today…because it’s still very important!
Buyers will be honest, even brutal, as they assess your home. They have no affection for your property until they fall in love with it and can imagine moving in.
Before you put your house on the market, go safely across the street and view your property from a distance. As you did on the inside, pretend you are the buyer and have never seen the house. What do you see? Are the gutters coming loose? Is your yard in bad shape? Does the front door need repainting? How long has that woodpile been stacked up against the side of the house? You must assess your house and property with an unemotional eye.
Where you are standing is probably where an Agent will park to tell prospective buyers about your home. What the buyers see at that moment determines whether they’ll get out of the car or simply ask the agent to keep driving. You can’t make buyers get out of the Agent’s car, but you can entice them by Staging.
First and foremost….Remember that you CAN’T sell it if you can’t see it!!! Overgrown shrubs and bushes need to be trimmed if possible or dug out if not. Staging is merchandising, and merchandising the whole property is key in today’s market.
Here is a house where we staged the outside. See what a little work can do?
The cost to do this was minimal and you can see what a difference it made.
So, go outside and heck the condition of the paint, roof, gutters, and downspouts. Move garbage cans, discarded wood scraps and lefover building materials. Check for insect problems. Weed , weed and weed. Some mulch and a few new plants will make a huge improvement and are not a huge investment. Groom and fertilize the lawn. Remove small items from patios and decks and finish all unfinished projects!
Remember that you WANT prospective buyers to feel welcome and come in!!
Jeri Pischke, Tender Heart Transitions – Email – Website
