When your home is on the market but you are still living there, you can’t very well make it a model show home. Still, there are a few things you should think about putting in storage while selling your home in order to make it as appealing as possible to buyers. Here are the top five things you should consider putting out of sight.
Excess Family Photos & Personal Items
Buyers want to picture themselves in the house, and a slew of family photos hung all over the place can make that difficult. If all they can see is you and your family, they won’t be able to easily envision their own family there. You should also look around for personal items, i.e., religious items, collectibles, etc. While these things are important to you, they are personal to you and may create a barrier for a potential buyer to envision themselves in your home.
Your Liquor Cabinet
A nice wine rack or a few bottles displayed near the wet bar are fine, but if you keep a lot of liquor in the house put it somewhere out of sight. While it may seem illogical, buyers who share different lifestyle views might be put off by it.
Your Pet’s Toys
Chewed up tennis balls, smelly stuffed animals, and half-digested bones are part of life with a dog, but people coming to see your house will find it unattractive. It will also tell them your pet has the run of the house, and they will wonder what damage might have been done.
Signs Of Repairs
Put away the plunger and similar items when you are selling. It will prevent buyers from wondering if something is wrong with the plumbing, even if you only keep it around as a precaution.
Anything That Clutters A Room
So the extra bedroom is used as an office/exercise room/guest bedroom? Versatility is great, but all that stuff in there will just look like there isn’t enough space in the house for everything you-or a buyer-needs. Get rid of the exercise equipment and the desk, and leave the guest bed. Extra bedrooms are more of a selling point than an office or exercise room.
It might be annoying to have to put some of your personal items away while you sell your home, but it can mean a faster sale and a larger profit. Buyers need to see a home as a place where they can live, not the place where you live.
Next Steps
If you find preparing your home for sale overwhelming, you can check our resource directory for a professional organizer that might be able to help you. And when you are ready to list your home, please let us know.