"Staging" your Boston home to sell

As your Boston Real Estate agent, I want to make sure you get as much money as possible for the house you're selling.  There are many homes for sale in the Greater Boston area and you definitely don't want a buyer to choose a comparable home over yours because of some petty detail.  You might be wondering, "Does that actually happen?"  Yes!  Even if a house fits a buyer's criteria, she (or he) generally won't buy it unless it "feels" right.  How can you make your Boston home "feel" right to prospective buyers?  Stage it!

"Staging" refers to taking care of the basic looks of a place, but not doing any major renovating.  It is an inexpensive way to make your house appealing to potential buyers, thereby raising the value of it.  Here are a few "must dos" when it comes to staging:

1.  Clean up the front yard.

Drag the trash cans in front the curb and make sure the kids' bikes are in the garage (with the door shut).  What is no big deal to you is clutter to someone viewing the place for the first time.  Cut the grass short and plant some flowers.  The exterior is where the first impression is made.  If potential buyers don't like what they see, they might not even come inside for the open house!

2.  Get rid of stuff.

Take a walk through the house and move out as many things out as you can.  Give what you don't need to charity and put the rest in storage.  It's difficult for a buyer to imagine their stuff in a space if all they can see is someone else's stuff!  Also, rooms with less furniture look larger, and buyers like larger rooms.

3.  Make it smell nice.

Baking cookies right before an open house is an old realtor's secret.  If you (or your realtor) do not have time for this, light a mildly scented candle.

4.  Make it pretty.

If the walls look dingy, repaint them with a light color.  Give every room a deep clean.  If you cannot make it as clean as a hotel room, hire maids.  Finally, put some flowers on the coffee table or dining room table, or both!  It draws in the eyes and brightens up a room.

The cleaner and clearer your house is, the more quickly someone will want to snap it up.  Please check my website for even more tips on selling your Boston home.  Also, feel free to contact me if you'd like my personal help.  Happy selling!

Michael Feldman
Keller Williams Realty-Boston MetroCheck Out My Website
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