Having your home on the market is hard enough but add cold, snow and early nightfall to the situation and it becomes even harder.
I often tell my clients that having their home for sale is not a natural lifestyle as everything has to be kept in tip top shape at all times. It’s a new year and the perfect time to be resolved about selling your home for top dollar.
Involve the whole family in keeping a routine that keeps your house clean and clutter-free on a daily basis.
Sometimes it is much easier to implement staging techniques than to actually maintain them.
. Now that the holidays are over it is imperative that all remnants of the festivities and other seasonal décor is completely removed and packed away. And that means the outdoor lights and decorations as well!
The problem with this is that your house will suddenly feel drab and a bit barren. But you can transform your home into a warm, cozy and inviting space by doing a real estate redesign.
By applying the following tips your family will enjoy spending time by the fire on those long, wintry nights AND potential home buyers will emotionally respond to the newly created ambience.
- Rearrange the furniture to create intimate seating arrangements
- Create a good traffic flow
- Cover the floors with rich, dark area rugs such as Oriental ones
- Add a touch of black to ground the room and for a touch of sophistication (try a black lampshade or paint a small accent piece of furniture)
- Choose warm, warm, warm colors
- Add corduroy floor cushions stacked by the fireplace
- Place a basket filled with birch logs and sugar pinecones
- Toss more pillows and chenille throws on sofa and chairs
- Buy stacking baskets with lids to contain family room clutter
- Add vanilla or cinnamon scented candles and place throughout the house
- Replace a few light bulbs with amber tinted ones to create a wonderful soft glow to your rooms
- Use accessories sparingly but what you do use should have a dramatic impact
- Soften cocktail table or sofa table with a piece of rich fabric that compliments your décor
- Add live greenery
- Place copper pieces on countertops that will gleam under kitchen lights
- Keep a large bowl of fresh pears or apples on table or counter
- Spruce the bathrooms up with new shower curtains and fluffy hand towels
And even though the north winds howl you will have to brave the elements to make certain the outside of your home is just as appealing as the inside.
- Keep snow and slush cleared from door and on walks
- Eucalyptus wreaths are excellent winter choices to hang on the front door
- Add color to the landscape with large potted winterberry shrubs
- Choose planters that match your home’s style to fill and layer with a variety of fresh evergreens and large sugar pinecones (replace greenery as needed)
- Buy an attractive but sturdy new door mat
- Strategically place spot lighting to highlight shrubbery and light walkways
- Replace any door hardware that is showing any tarnish or wear
- Tighten anything “flapping in the wind”
- Hang a feeder in the back yard to attract colorful birds
- Cover the grill
- Make sure there are no summer items laying forlornly around the outside
Now go back inside and reward yourself with a cup of hot chocolate and daydream about selling your house and moving to Florida!
