Barbara Corcoran is a real estate connoisseur to say the least. If her name isn’t familiar to you check out 2012 Real Estate Predictions. Needless to say her advice is something to take to heart and might be just what your home needs to change the sign in your yard from For Sale to SOLD.
Show Your House in the Best Light
“When a buyer walks into a nice bright room, they feel happy. And you know what happy buyers do? They make offers!” – Barbara Corcoran.
- Turn on all lamps and lights to the brightest setting. If you have a 3-way light bulb turn it to the highest watt. All lamps should have at least 100 watt bulbs in them.
- Remove heavy curtains to let the natural light in.
Create Space in Your Home
- Get your furniture off the floor by removing all skirts. Showing the legs of furniture will visually make the room appear larger.
- Using neutral colors in paint and décor will make rooms seem larger.
- Add crown molding. It will make the rooms flow and expand the space.
- Ceiling fans should be the same color as the ceiling as it will make the ceilings seem higher. A darker fan will make the ceiling appear lower.
- Area rugs need to be proportional to the room size. A large room needs a large rug because a small rug will make the room seem smaller.
Make Your House a Home
- Adding plants is a great way to add life to a room, but only if the plants are lush and full. Any old and dreary plants need to be replaced with new ones.
De-Clutter
- Removing clutter doesn’t just apply to things on the floor. If you have a lot of pictures, decorative plates, etc. group them on one wall as a focal point and free up wall space.
- Pots hanging in the kitchen area are a bad idea as it makes the room/ceiling seem smaller and cluttered.
- Remove items from your kitchen counters like cutting boards, fruit baskets, etc. Also get rid of things in the sink area. No potential buyer wants to see your dirty dish sponge!
- Buyers will open your drawers and cabinets; clean them out so they can see the space instead of your junk. Buyers associate messy drawers and closets with a poorly maintained home.
Showcase Your Home’s Exterior in its Prime
- If selling your home in the winter, make a photo album with photos of the exterior in the springtime. Yards look the best during that time as that’s when flowers are in bloom and trees are lush and gorgeous. It will show prospective buyers how beautiful the home will look in the upcoming months.
Winter Curb Appeal
- Remove patio furniture, plant pots and other backyard clutter.
- Take home listing exterior photos at night. Turn on all of the exterior and interior lights in the home and open all the blinds/shades. It makes for a beautiful photo and great first impression of the home.
Upgrade the Kitchen
“Buyers don’t give you the courtesy of saying they want a new appliance, they simply don’t make an offer on your house. The smartest thing you can do is make your kitchen look fresh and bright.”
- Refrigerator is the least expensive appliance to upgrade and it will make the most impact.
Staging your home is necessary in this competitive market. You want your home to stand out in potential buyers minds as a place they could see themselves living in, not a house that needs work. The effort you put in to making your home look as perfect as possible will not be for nothing.
Christine is the Content Marketing Coordinator for Homes.com. She's a small town girl at heart, who currently lives in Norfolk, VA with her husband and their fur baby. When she's not working, she enjoys cooking, decorating, traveling, and binge watching Netflix. As a proud Virginia Tech alum, she also loves cheering on the Hokies!
