GETTING YOUR HOME READY TO SELL IN 2016? There’s NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT.

GETTING YOUR HOME READY TO SELL IN 2016. THERE’S NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT.

If you are getting ready to sell your house in 2016, it’s time to get ready with some de-cluttering and curb appeal.

Like it or not, most of us do not live in sale-ready homes. Even if your home is clean and well maintained, it is a rare house that doesn’t need some TLC and elbow grease to get ready for buyers.

Recently one of my clients quit her job to get her house ready for sale. While that may seem like a drastic move, in truth it was quite sensible. She said “I work full time then I come home and make dinner and clean up, and after that I am just too tired to organize every closet.” Like many people, she wasn’t just sorting through a linen closet or two, she had decades of accumulated treasures from her child rearing years as well as an accumulation of projects and business materials.

After spending several weeks of working full time on her house, it went on the market picture ready and any buyer coming through didn’t have to peer around piles of boxes wondering how big the closet or basement was because everything had been tidied, including several car loads delivered to her now adult children.

Here are some basic guidelines to work with alongside your Realtor:

Curb appeal matters. Have a landscaper and handy-person give recommendations on how to improve the first impression. You have probably become immune to a few cobwebs, weeds, and cracked pavers that others notice immediately.

Every closet counts, and this includes your pantry. Nothing, or almost nothing on the floor, and keep the closets about half full – and yes, it’s okay to get rid of things you have not worn in twenty years!

You’re moving, so start packing. Look at most of your nicer home catalogs such as Crate & Barrel to get a sense of what a de-cluttered house looks like. Pack up your collections and empty the cabinets enough so a Buyer sees the house and not just your possessions.

It’s easy to resist this advice, but the most successful house sellers in 2016 are planning now to give their house its very best first impression.

For more information on preparing your house for sale, consult your JACE Realtor or Staging Professional, Susan Scott in our Port Angeles office.