There are many factors to consider when marketing your home for sale whether in Westchester, Putnam or Dutchess County. One important thing to remember is that your home is now a product that you need to “sell” to another. Staging your home for sale brings out the best features of your home and gives you a competitive advantage. Staging can facilitate a quick sale and get the best possible price for your home in today’s challenging real estate market.

Your real estate agent can provide an honest appraisal of what you need to do to help sell your home or put you in contact with a professional stager, if desired. For additional reference, research “home staging” on the Internet.

If you don’t have access or the budget for professional home staging services, you can incorporate many techniques to help promote the sale of your home. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Maximize your interior space by placing excess/un-used furniture in
a storage unit to make rooms appear larger and showcase the room’s purpose.

2. De-personalize by packing up your personal photos and family heirlooms so potential buyers can imagine the home filled with their possessions and not be distracted by yours.

3. Remove excess clutter. Selling your home is the perfect time to get rid of anything you haven’t used in a long time and don’t plan to take with you when you move anyway. Remove refrigerator magnets, organize closet and cabinets, clear off countertops and dressers, file paperwork and pack up those knickknacks and books! Donate it, pack it up or throw it away.

4. Clean. Is your bathroom lived-in or a showcase? What would you want to see? Show you care and maintain all the areas of your home by using a critical eye to eliminate dust and cobwebs - make your house sparkle!

5. Brighten your interior space by washing the windows, opening all the shades, removing window screens and checking to be sure all the light bulbs are in working order using the highest wattage allowed.

6. Apply a coat of fresh paint to walls in a warm neutral color. Your home will be more appealing and will have one less thing for the new homeowner to do.

7. De-odorize your home by freshening the air and removing any traces of pet bedding or litter boxes, cigarette smoke and mildew. The number one homeselling issue is odors! Ask a friend or neighbor to walk through your house and let you know if they detect anything you may be unaware of.

8. Remove and replace favorite items such as heirloom light fixtures or fireplace screens that you want to take with you to your new home.  Pack up what you aren’t willing to leave behind before you begin showing your home to potential buyers.

9. Walk through your house with an objective eye. Pretend you have never seen the house before. Take note and fix any repairs that need to be made… especially the ones you’ve been putting off.

10. Take a hard look at your wallpaper. Is it out of date? Are you the only one who likes it? Consider removing the wallcovering if you’ve answered yes to these questions.

11. Create curb appeal. Just like a great exterior photo, the front entry of your home is your first and best chance for getting a potential homebuyer inside your door. Look around – is your yard inviting? Are toys and equipment put away? Are the shrubs trim and neat? Is your front doorway neat and clean? It’s a great time to clean your gutters. Make a great first impression by paying attention to the front of your home.

12. Disappear. Take your self, your family and your pets and don’t attend the showing. If you stick around, you’ll intimidate the potential homebuyers who really want to take a good look at your house.

Do you have any home staging experiences or tips you’d care to share with us? Please comment and let us know!