Tips for me before we list our home for sale...

[CandaceC]

So we are about to list our home...and TRY to sell it. :)

 

I have begun decluttering and getting rid of stuff. But, my hubby is planning to replace the last 2 doors (we already have bought them and they are waiting in the shed.) and he has a few other small things he is going to do...

 

But sometimes he is a bit slow around the house. :)

 

So, what else should I be doing in the meantime?? I'd love to get as much done as I can early on...

 

THANKS!

 

Oh and we don't have a great place to store stuff - I'm wondering if there are suggestions to box a few things up - but I'm not sure where I would put it??

[Alte Veste Academy]

:bigear:

 

We're getting new carpet with a President's Day sale and then on to the market our house goes. We are seriously thinking about renting a storage facility to minimize clutter (we're outgrowing this house) and limit the kids' available toys to decrease our quick-clean time for showings.

[CandaceC]

Kristina,

 

We have also outgrown our house. At first I felt bad saying we "needed" a bigger house...and really we don't "need" it in comparison with how the rest of the world lives. :) So, I say "need" knowing it's very subjective...

 

But, as our kids get older and as we continue homeschooling, I just want space for them to have friends over, I want them to be able to "hang out" HERE and have fun things to do...we just don't have as much living space as I'd like and need 1 more bedroom.

 

Anyway, we have a TINY shed out back that has our lawn mower and stuff like that in it...no garage...I'd like to box some things up but am not sure if it would look better or worse to have boxes in piles. :confused:

[Alte Veste Academy]

Kristina,

 

We have also outgrown our house. At first I felt bad saying we "needed" a bigger house...and really we don't "need" it in comparison with how the rest of the world lives. :) So, I say "need" knowing it's very subjective...

 

But, as our kids get older and as we continue homeschooling, I just want space for them to have friends over, I want them to be able to "hang out" HERE and have fun things to do...we just don't have as much living space as I'd like and need 1 more bedroom.

 

Anyway, we have a TINY shed out back that has our lawn mower and stuff like that in it...no garage...I'd like to box some things up but am not sure if it would look better or worse to have boxes in piles. :confused:

 

I think we're in the same situation. I want more space for school and for the kids to just be. It's convenient timing for us though, because we're moving. We have a tiny shed too. It can't hold any more than what is currently in it. I am planning to take most of our books and bookshelves to storage. As far as boxes, I was going to box up the vast majority of my kids' toys and just stack them in their closets. Is that an option for you? I don't think boxes in closets would be a problem at all but yes, I would hesitate to have them all over the house. We have the option to have transportation come early to move everything to our new duty station and put it in storage for us but everyone says don't show an empty house. I don't know. I personally prefer to look at houses empty, so I'm not distracted by decor. For me, it is easier to see the house if it is empty. Sorry. That's not helpful at all. :lol: I have eliminated so much though, and I'm still working on it. It seems I visit Goodwill daily.

[Shellydon]

http://www.realtor.com/Basics/Sell/PrepHome/GetReady.asp?source=web

 

This is a good list.

Basically make sure everything is in good repair. Hugely declutter - rent a storage unit if needed. Fresh paint on all walls and if flooring is really old, cheap flooring to replace it. I would also get a home inspection prior to listing to find out any problems and fix them prior to listing it. That way, there isn't something wrong with the house that could cause a lender to refuse to loan someone $$ to buy your house.

[cjgrubbs]

Make sure there is empty wall space in each room. In other words, don't have furniture lining the walls in every single room. This is a hard one for us because of schooling. But that was a huge thing to our realtor. Of course, after a year on the market we got no offers so we took it off for a while. It was driving me crazy - we had LOTS of last minute showings!

[CandaceC]

thanks, ya'll!

 

Yes, I could stack boxes in closets -- that will definitely work!

 

thankfully, there is nothing MAJOR that needs to be done. we have done a LOT to this house...(knowing we wont' get it all back in a sale) but in the last 3 years we have gotten new windows, new roof, new heat/a/c unit and water softener for the house. hopefully that will at least HELP.

 

We have 2 rooms with carpet - the rest is hardwood. The hardwood is great, but the carpet definitely needs to be CLEANED!!!

[ma23peas]

Declutter! That bookshelf that has 20 pictures of the kids on it, take it all off...I always left one or two...wall hangings, take them off and patch/paint holes. Closets, only keep about 10 outfits in them...Pack it up! Rent a storage unit for six months, I think ours was $20 a month, came in handy when we moved bc we only had to unpack the necessities then add boxes when we could...it could make you thousands on your sale...clean that oven, sparkling! All toilets and bath clean, clean, make the front door welcoming declutter everything. Make kitchen counters sparse with no more than 1-2 appliances...

 

Have sold 9 houses, we know decluttering moves a property..

[CandaceC]

What opinion do you all have on landscaping?

 

We have a simple, 1 level brick ranch home...and NOT much in the way of landscaping at all. It's hard to describe of course without a picture, but the middle of the house has some bushes, mulch that we did years ago...but the rest has nothing?

[redsquirrel]

My friend sold her house in three days. It wasn't that great a house either. They painted inside, cleaned all rugs,they did some minor landscaping to make it more inviting (it is a very ugly house, truthfully), they got it SPOTLESS beyond belief, they removed all personal items like toys, photos and toothbrushes, they had bare walls, almost nothing under the sinks and cupboards, She might have had fresh flowers. I think she had bright lightbulbs, and I am sure she cleaned the windows.

 

I could not believe she sold the house and the price she got. They had been looking at houses to buy for a couple years and so she had seen lots of poorly presented houses.

[KungFuPanda]

I think we're in the same situation. I want more space for school and for the kids to just be. It's convenient timing for us though, because we're moving. We have a tiny shed too. It can't hold any more than what is currently in it. I am planning to take most of our books and bookshelves to storage. As far as boxes, I was going to box up the vast majority of my kids' toys and just stack them in their closets. Is that an option for you? I don't think boxes in closets would be a problem at all but yes, I would hesitate to have them all over the house. We have the option to have transportation come early to move everything to our new duty station and put it in storage for us but everyone says don't show an empty house. I don't know. I personally prefer to look at houses empty, so I'm not distracted by decor. For me, it is easier to see the house if it is empty. Sorry. That's not helpful at all. :lol: I have eliminated so much though, and I'm still working on it. It seems I visit Goodwill daily.

 

We bought an empty house. We didn't need the decorating tricks/camouflage anyway and we knew that we'd have no issues with the previous owner actually clearing the property of EVERYTHING. To us, an empty house meant we could move in NOW with no complications.

[zaichiki]

Don't stack boxes in the closets. It makes them look too small. You could lose a sale because of that. Instead, rent a POD. They'll deliver it. You pack up most of what you own (you're moving and will have to do this anyway) and they cart it away for a few months of storage.

 

We let each child keep one large backpack of toys and books. They had to put everything back into the backpack every night. (Made it so easy to clean/vacuum and split before last minute showings.) I packed up almost *everything* we owned and the house looked sparse. It took 8 weeks to sell, but it felt like an *eternity.* I'm glad it's over. :)

[Shannon in TN]

http://www.realtor.com/Basics/Sell/PrepHome/GetReady.asp?source=web

 

This is a good list.

Basically make sure everything is in good repair. Hugely declutter - rent a storage unit if needed. Fresh paint on all walls and if flooring is really old, cheap flooring to replace it. I would also get a home inspection prior to listing to find out any problems and fix them prior to listing it. That way, there isn't something wrong with the house that could cause a lender to refuse to loan someone $$ to buy your house.

 

:iagree: We just sold our house last year and it was only on the market for about 6 weeks (it was a split foyer with a TINY master bath, so that alone killed a lot of interest). Definitely declutter! Neutralize the house as much as possible - our agent said the buyers looking at houses want to be able to visualize their things and not be overwhelmed with your things. I repainted almost the entire upstairs in "boring beige" (ugh!), updated the kitchen by painting cabinets and replacing the counters with granite-looking laminate, new carpet - light beige replaced old hunter green - and updated light and sink fixtures.

 

Oh! Almost forgot - a tip for when you start your showings, our agent didn't like those plug-in air fresheners. Whenever she was in a house with those, she wondered what they were covering up (usually cats, she said). Instead, use candles (I usually had a few hours notice and would light candles all over the house) or bake cookies. I would usually leave a small tray of cookies with a "help yourself" note. There's just something about walking into a house with that freshly-baked-goodie smell.

 

What opinion do you all have on landscaping?

 

We have a simple, 1 level brick ranch home...and NOT much in the way of landscaping at all. It's hard to describe of course without a picture, but the middle of the house has some bushes, mulch that we did years ago...but the rest has nothing?

 

Don't focus too much money on the landscaping. We had a landscaper tell us that most people, when they buy a house, they end up changing the landscaping to suit them. We had dogs practically destroy every blade of grass in our back yard and a once-beautiful flowerbed that was just mud and bushes. We spread pinestraw all over and just that one thing made it all look fresh and new. You know what your yard looks like - maybe just a re-coating of mulch is all you need to dress up the curb appeal. Maybe the bushes could be trimmed a little to clean them up? Best thing for your yard is to keep the grass mowed, drive and sidewalk swept, maybe add potted flowers by the door, a nice new welcome mat for the door. Our agent always reminded her sellers to keep up with the mowing and such and make the front as welcoming as possible.

 

Good luck!!

Edited February 13, 2012 by Shannon in TN

[Ellie]

Besides the decluttering (including closets; people look in closets. Including linen closets.) and cleaning and whatnot, you might look at how your furniture is arranged. I know that it shouldn't make a difference but sometimes it does. :glare: I was looking at some homes on-line last night, just for fun, and I gotta tell you that the way some people arrange their furniture would totally distract me from what I should be looking at.

 

I watched a show one time where the cameras record people looking through homes before staging, and then those same people come back after the staging to look again. That really made a believer out of me; one house had a southwestern theme, with this really great stucco fireplace. The owners had a collection of roosters...a nice collection, really, but the first time through, people were distaracted by the roosters--no one commented on the fireplace. The second time, after the staging, they were surprised that the fireplace was there (!) and they loved it.

 

Anyway, check your furniture lay-out.

 

And good luck. :)

[CandaceC]

Thanks, these are great tips!!

 

So can I leave a candle burning while we leave?? I wondered about that because I love candles but wasn't sure about leaving it burning...

[Shannon in TN]

Thanks, these are great tips!!

 

So can I leave a candle burning while we leave?? I wondered about that because I love candles but wasn't sure about leaving it burning...

 

No, I would have them burning during the day while I was cleaning, then, with vacuuming as the last thing I did, I would blow out the candles in each room. There was one showing where I left a tea light lit in the bathroom and I was panicky the whole time. I just don't trust leaving a candle burning.

[StephanieZ]

Yep, box things up. Worst case: stack the neat boxes in a corner of the basement or garage. Much better: beg, borrow, or rent storage space and get it out of there!

 

Declutter & donate!

 

Clean, clean, clean. Then, clean some more.

 

Declutter your cabinets & pantry & medicine cupboards. Throw out expired and old stuff. Reorganize. Start being a minimalist when it comes to shopping for toiletries & groceries: use up your stashes instead (to aid in the decluttering).

 

As soon as spring hits, you can pack up & store your winter wardrobes. That'll aid in decluttering closets. (Go ahead and DONATE all you can while you are at it!)

 

Repaint anything that can use a fresh coat.

 

Fix all the little things you haven't gotten to.

 

Minimize any pet related things. Pack up family photos & other personal memorobilia. Stash valuables out of sight. Remove any religious or political items.

 

Steam clean anything cleanable.

 

Wash all your linens/blankets/slip covers/anything else washable.

[StephanieZ]

Also, if you have a basement, go get a deumidifier, and start running it 24/7 down there. Our once-musty-stinky basement became instantly fresh-as-spring the day we plugged in a $100 dehumidifier. I'd never try to sell a house with a basement w/o one running!

 

If you have pets, a smoker, or any other strong cooking or other smells, an air purifier in one or more rooms might also be helpful. You could turn it off right before showings so the fan/noise isn't present.

[MariannNOVA]

Ditto what everyone said here -- do you have a garage? boxes are fine in the garage -- tells folks you are packing and serious about selling.

 

in the alternative, rent a storage unit AFTER decluttering -- you don't want to pay to store stuff you will end up throwing away eventually.

 

Declutter unmercifully - buy large black trash bags and go room by room -- start in closets and work your way our of the room. Expect to spend awhile doing this, but it is the only way to do it right. While you are tossing stuff in the trash, you should simultaneously be making a pile of stuff to be packed and put in storage, and making a list of repairs that need to be made (cosmetic things).

 

Next most important thing, imo, clean EVERY corner of every room -- when I look at a house, I do not want to look in a corner and see dirt --(not saying that you have any --) spray Fantastic or some other cleaner you like in the corners, wear gloves, use paper towels or microfiber cloths, and then go back and clean out every speck of dust, etc from those corners. Same with moldings - high and low. Except, minus the fantastik on the moldings -- mr. clean magic erasers do well here and older kids can handle this job.

 

Replace light bulbs, clean light fixtures, windows should sparkle.

 

There is product I buy at Bed Bath and Beyond -- it is a powder called Fresh Air (they have an entire line of products) -- you sprinkle it on rugs, leave it for 10 minutes and then vacuum. It IS amazing - leaves no after smell, and eliminates any odors that were there -- all you smell is well,nothing. it is the best.

 

Best of luck to you!

[ma23peas]

Thanks, these are great tips!!

 

So can I leave a candle burning while we leave?? I wondered about that because I love candles but wasn't sure about leaving it burning...

 

Candles also leave a scent, I can not be around them...wewould keep a container of clorox wipes or murphy's oil soap spray or even windex, before each showing, we would throw all school books in a laundry basket, kids would go wipe the entry doors with cleaner and another would go wipe the sinks with the wipes, smelled clean but not scenty :)

[MariannNOVA]

Agree - no candles -- my dd will pass out from the scent of candles and I get ill.

 

One more thing -- you can buy a box of 'shoe covers' at home depot or Lowe's -- we leave then near the door to the great room which has new rug on the floor -- you can print out a little note that if folks don't want to remove their shoes, would they please use shoe covers before walking on the rug.

[ChristyB in TN]

Go through your house, starting with the driveway and move toward the front door, then into every room, with a notebook writing down every single flaw, scuff mark, dirty light switch, etc. that you see. Then attack it. So much can be done with a scrub brush and some bleach! It really is the little things that people get stuck on when they first see a house. I hosted an open house for some clients yesterday and the one couple who showed up to see the house couldn't get past the need to fix a few imperfections on the bonus room ceiling. The house had other problems, they just couldn't see them because they were mesmerized by those easy little fixes. Paint everything that hasn't been painted lately, dust the light fixtures, power wash the patio and the sidewalk, completely clean off all counters. That knick knack collection is fabulous but it makes the counter look cluttered and small. Light is important and the shades need to be dusted, curtains can come down if they make the room look small or if they are dated. No curtains are better than dated curtains. Good luck!

[Alte Veste Academy]

Go through your house, starting with the driveway and move toward the front door, then into every room, with a notebook writing down every single flaw, scuff mark, dirty light switch, etc. that you see. Then attack it. So much can be done with a scrub brush and some bleach! It really is the little things that people get stuck on when they first see a house. I hosted an open house for some clients yesterday and the one couple who showed up to see the house couldn't get past the need to fix a few imperfections on the bonus room ceiling. The house had other problems, they just couldn't see them because they were mesmerized by those easy little fixes. Paint everything that hasn't been painted lately, dust the light fixtures, power wash the patio and the sidewalk, completely clean off all counters. That knick knack collection is fabulous but it makes the counter look cluttered and small. Light is important and the shades need to be dusted, curtains can come down if they make the room look small or if they are dated. No curtains are better than dated curtains. Good luck!

 

Oooh. Are you a realtor? :D

 

Is it true that it's better to show a furnished house than an empty house? I personally prefer to view empty houses and it is possible for us to have our household goods packed and out of here. I am sorely tempted. It would definitely be easier to keep the place clean and ready for showings. The stress of trying to keep this house perfect at all times, homeschooling with three young kids, might drive me to madness. I mean, the kids' bathroom alone is making me rip my hair out, and we're not even on the market yet. I'm in training for maintaining perfection and honestly, it's not going well. :tongue_smilie:

 

Also, we live in a military community and move-in ready (as in empty and literally ready to move in ASAP) is very attractive to people. We actually rented this house from the builder for two months before closing and were thrilled to have that option, as it meant we didn't have to make a tough choice between buying this house (the one we really liked and wanted), settling for another that was move-in ready that we didn't like as well, or pay through the nose for temporary housing while our HHG sat in storage.

[Ottakee]

I agree with the declutter. Try to get as much as you can OUT of the closets as well so that it looks like there is TONS of storage space vs. having clothes and other stuff stuffed into the closets.

 

If the property lines are not easy to tell, mark those out with little stages or flags.--esp. if the yard is larger than it appears.

 

We bought this house after it had been listed on the internet for about 6 hours......honestly, it hit the listings at 6am, I saw it about 6:30am, the realtor called for a showing at 8:30am, we had a showing at 11 (the husband worked a late 2nd shift) and by noon we had written an offer and by 1pm they had accepted.

 

The house was clean and dejunked. For us though it was mostly that it had just over 5 acres (we had to have 5 to keep the horses) and that it was priced VERY fairly. We put in a full price offer as it was fairly priced and we didn't want to lose it.

[MariannNOVA]

DH and I prefer to look at empty houses, although we have become adept at seeing past a homeowner's ;stuff' -- but I do find vacant better.

[justamouse]

:bigear:

 

We're getting new carpet with a President's Day sale and then on to the market our house goes. We are seriously thinking about renting a storage facility to minimize clutter (we're outgrowing this house) and limit the kids' available toys to decrease our quick-clean time for showings.

 

We did that and it saved my sanity. When I got a call for a show, I just had to wipe down flat surfaces and tidy up.

[Alte Veste Academy]

DH and I prefer to look at empty houses, although we have become adept at seeing past a homeowner's ;stuff' -- but I do find vacant better.

 

Yes! I watch a lot of HGTV and always hear that you should show a house with furnishings so people can visualize what it would be like to live there. However, I personally find it much easier to visualize my furnishings and imagine my life in a house when viewing an empty space. I can look past paint color, furnishings, etc. but I prefer not to have to in the first place. I like a blank canvas. Hmmm. I might do a poll.

[MariannNOVA]

Yes! I watch a lot of HGTV and always hear that you should show a house with furnishings so people can visualize what it would be like to live there. However, I personally find it much easier to visualize my furnishings and imagine my life in a house when viewing an empty space. I can look past paint color, furnishings, etc. but I prefer not to have to in the first place. I like a blank canvas. Hmmm. I might do a poll.

 

dh and I had THIS discussion with a realtor years ago when our home was vacant and on the market -- we had moved on ahead to DC.

 

Realtor kept saying that the fact that house was empty was a problem -- dh and I just didn't see it that way -- but we did understand that he and I tend to think differently than most folks out there.

 

I do know that I bristle when a realtor would give me 'feedback' and it was something like: 'buyers didn't like the shape of the table in the dining room' -- my response was always: 'It's MY table and I am taking it with me. The buyers can put whatever they want in that space.'

 

I prefer to see vacant and empty so I can look creatively -- what we will keep, what will go, what will come from another room, where will art work go -- I don't care what other folks have in the house -- I may admnire a piece of art work or a piecee of furniture, but for the most part, I don't want to see their 'stuff' and I probably don't care what their ideas are. Harsh, I know, but that's me.

[Alte Veste Academy]

dh and I had THIS discussion with a realtor years ago when our home was vacant and on the market -- we had moved on ahead to DC.

 

Realtor kept saying that the fact that house was empty was a problem -- dh and I just didn't see it that way -- but we did understand that he and I tend to think differently than most folks out there.

 

I do know that I bristle when a realtor would give me 'feedback' and it was something like: 'buyers didn't like the shape of the table in the dining room' -- my response was always: 'It's MY table and I am taking it with me. The buyers can put whatever they want in that space.'

 

I prefer to see vacant and empty so I can look creatively -- what we will keep, what will go, what will come from another room, where will art work go -- I don't care what other folks have in the house -- I may admnire a piece of art work or a piecee of furniture, but for the most part, I don't want to see their 'stuff' and I probably don't care what their ideas are. Harsh, I know, but that's me.

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly! Our problem right now is that we have only one living area and our couch and chairs are not so spiffy as they used to be. They are 10 years old and have lived through three babies-big kids, two Labrador Retrievers, and three cats. The furniture is nice and still structurally sound but it has been well-loved and is shabbier than I would like. BUT when we move, we will be living in a house with two living areas and this furniture will be perfect for our homeschool/family room. The idea of getting rid of it pains me because we can't afford to buy for two living room spaces when we get to our new duty station. We could put this in storage and buy furniture for our new living area to put in this house for showings but we are already worried about being overweight on this move, making that an illogical choice. Suffice it to say, I hope empty wins my poll. :tongue_smilie:

[WIS0320]

What opinion do you all have on landscaping?

 

We have a simple, 1 level brick ranch home...and NOT much in the way of landscaping at all. It's hard to describe of course without a picture, but the middle of the house has some bushes, mulch that we did years ago...but the rest has nothing?

 

Curb appeal matters. Planting time for shrubs and trees starts in March so you are in the perfect position to get some things in the ground. As much as I cringe to say it, I would drive to a new subdivision and look at the "standard" packages put in by the developer. It is usually enough though it is impersonal and nothing amazing. Most developers use reasonably inexpensive shrubs and landscaping perennials.

 

If I had to give you some sort of ball park, I'd say stick with Compacta Japanese Hollies in the front of the house to hide the base foundation and in front of that use something very standard like Stella D'Oro daylily or lilyturf. On the ends of the house I would put something taller, emerald arborvitae or foster holly.

 

Whatever you do, stick with 2-3 types of plants, the stuff in the back needs to be evergreen and whatever you stick in front of it, plant in drifts pretty intensively to make immediate visual impact.

 

Also we've sold a few houses and decluttering is necessary but even more - houses always look fresher, cleaner and better with *real* houseplants inside. A violet on the kitchen windowsill, some diffenbachia or christmas cactus are super easy to maintain and give a nice little lift.

[CandaceC]

What do I do with indoor pets during a showing? Thankfully we have hardwood floors so once they are swept there isn't very much "evidence" of them.

 

The dog we could take on a leash...what about 2 cats?

[Alte Veste Academy]

What do I do with indoor pets during a showing? Thankfully we have hardwood floors so once they are swept there isn't very much "evidence" of them.

 

The dog we could take on a leash...what about 2 cats?

 

I have a carrier big enough for a blanket on one side and one of those small, disposable litter boxes sold in grocery stores on the other side. We travel with it and that's my plan. I will put the dog on the leash and the cat in the carrier. Gross as it may sound, I even plan to take the litter box with me. Frankly, it's the yuckiest part of pet ownership so better me than the househunters. Oh, and we're supposed to pick up food and water dishes, I have heard.

[Ottakee]

I have a carrier big enough for a blanket on one side and one of those small, disposable litter boxes sold in grocery stores on the other side. We travel with it and that's my plan. I will put the dog on the leash and the cat in the carrier. Gross as it may sound, I even plan to take the litter box with me. Frankly, it's the yuckiest part of pet ownership so better me than the househunters. Oh, and we're supposed to pick up food and water dishes, I have heard.

 

Yes, take the pets with you. Nothing worse than the people coming and the realtor trying to make sure that a cat doesn't escape outdoors or accidently get locked in a closet or room without a litter box. I love pets---we have horses, a dog, several cats, a bird, etc. but if at all possible, take your pets with you for a showing.

 

The idea of taking along the litter box, and pet dishes is good too.

[MariannNOVA]

What do I do with indoor pets during a showing? Thankfully we have hardwood floors so once they are swept there isn't very much "evidence" of them.

 

The dog we could take on a leash...what about 2 cats?

 

Probably not this:

[CandaceC]

Mariann, ha!! :)

 

Btw, I read your thread about hour house, I hope it sells very soon!! It is beautiful and I loved looking at your pictures!! I also never cease to be amazed (and slightly shocked) at the differences in prices according to location!! Just crazy!! :)

[Alte Veste Academy]

Probably not this:

 

Oh, c'mon. If they clean toilets, they can absolutely stay. I guess that benefit is negated by the smoking though. :lol:

[MariannNOVA]

Mariann, ha!! :)

 

Btw, I read your thread about hour house, I hope it sells very soon!! It is beautiful and I loved looking at your pictures!! I also never cease to be amazed (and slightly shocked) at the differences in prices according to location!! Just crazy!! :)

 

thank you so much! And, yes, price differential is shocking!

 

Good luck with your sale -- may it happen quickly, uneventfully and painlessly.:grouphug:

[MariannNOVA]

Oh, c'mon. If they clean toilets, they can absolutely stay. I guess that benefit is negated by the smoking though. :lol:

 

Exactly -- I want cats who clean but don't smoke!:lol::lol::lol:

[CandaceC]

HA! I have 2 cats...so this could work out! :D

 

Just out of curiosity, how long was your "decluttering" period before you actually listed your house?

 

DH and I are a little on opposite ends of the spectrum. :) He's Mr. Laid Back, I'll work on these things as I get to them.

 

I, on the other hand, am ready to call a realtor TODAY and go ahead and get their suggestions to start working on them, then list in a few weeks.

 

What was ya'll's experience like, timing wise?

[MariannNOVA]

HA! I have 2 cats...so this could work out! :D

 

Just out of curiosity, how long was your "decluttering" period before you actually listed your house?

 

DH and I are a little on opposite ends of the spectrum. :) He's Mr. Laid Back, I'll work on these things as I get to them.

 

I, on the other hand, am ready to call a realtor TODAY and go ahead and get their suggestions to start working on them, then list in a few weeks.

 

What was ya'll's experience like, timing wise?

 

 

Yikes - I will need a Xanax after re-living this.

 

I work best under pressure -- so (no kidding) I started the actual decluttering a couple of days before the photog was coming to take photos.

 

This time, though (the time mentioned above was last April) -- our agent came and took photos and I just moved stuff out of the way -- things were probably 90% done when she came to take photos which was 48 hours before the listing became active.

 

I needed about 2-3 days to get it all done b4 photos - but keep in mind we were probably at 80% ready from having been on the market last year -- although we were off for 90 days b4 this current go round -- and we had christmas and thanksgiving thrown in there -- which we did try to keep to a minimum.

 

i work incredibly quickly -- I am ruthless at throwing stuff out -- I usually move things that we will keep by the door and dh makes runs to the storage unit -- everything else gets thrown out or sent to thrift stores or habitat re-store.

 

I work best with a time crunch. If you tell me I have a week till agent comes for photos -- I will get up early the day she comes.

[CandaceC]

Mariann, I think that we are similar...I have already taken bags and boxes of stuff do the local donation spot. DH is still laying on the couch watching sports at night. :tongue_smilie: :lol:

 

I am getting rid of a LOT. Thankfully, I declutter pretty regularly so I don't feel like I have a whole household of stuff to get rid of...

 

It feels SO GOOD to go through and toss out so much stuff!! :D

 

We are looking for a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house...here in East TN and our price range will be BELOW 200,000. :D Our house will be a great starter house for someone, it was our first house and we've done tons of stuff to it, it was in rough shape. It is 3 bedroom, 2 bath, about 1800 square feet.

 

So we will be getting a bigger house (but we aren't looking for huge, another bedroom and a larger family room area are our 2 main priorities) but we will have less stuff. :) Sounds good to me!!

[cajunrose]

Great thread! We are planning on listing our home in late spring. We still have SO much that needs to be done, paint a garage (separate from house), paint 4 rooms, touch up wood in kitchen, rebuild an entire master bath, new carpet, new bay window. OMG...it'll never get done. I'm decluttering now in anticipation of painting and removing non-essential furniture. I have a large built in desk/book case in my dining room (it's a BIG dining room) that I'm debating on removing/leaving in. I get mixed reviews from friends. I may post a picture here to see what we should do. I don't feel like we'll ever get done. :(

[MariannNOVA]

Mariann, I think that we are similar...I have already taken bags and boxes of stuff do the local donation spot. DH is still laying on the couch watching sports at night. :tongue_smilie: :lol:

 

I am getting rid of a LOT. Thankfully, I declutter pretty regularly so I don't feel like I have a whole household of stuff to get rid of...

 

It feels SO GOOD to go through and toss out so much stuff!! :D

 

We are looking for a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom house...here in East TN and our price range will be BELOW 200,000. :D Our house will be a great starter house for someone, it was our first house and we've done tons of stuff to it, it was in rough shape. It is 3 bedroom, 2 bath, about 1800 square feet.

 

So we will be getting a bigger house (but we aren't looking for huge, another bedroom and a larger family room area are our 2 main priorities) but we will have less stuff. :) Sounds good to me!!

 

De-cluttering regularly is excellent -- you sound like you have it under control. My dh wouldbe sitting in his chair doing work from the office -- same difference.:glare:

 

I love tossing, I love the house looking rather stark -- I will probably decorate differently when we get where we are going, but right now, I cannot be looking at tons of stuff around me.......waiting to be packed.

 

I think that less stuff is always a good thing!;)

[MariannNOVA]

Great thread! We are planning on listing our home in late spring. We still have SO much that needs to be done, paint a garage (separate from house), paint 4 rooms, touch up wood in kitchen, rebuild an entire master bath, new carpet, new bay window. OMG...it'll never get done. I'm decluttering now in anticipation of painting and removing non-essential furniture. I have a large built in desk/book case in my dining room (it's a BIG dining room) that I'm debating on removing/leaving in. I get mixed reviews from friends. I may post a picture here to see what we should do. I don't feel like we'll ever get done. :(

 

Walk room by room and make a list of what needs to be done -- don't leave out anything.

 

Then, get big black plastic garbage bags, start in closets and work your way out to the doorway of each room - be ruthless. Separate into piles according to trash, donation, pack, keep. Check out Home Depot for these large dumpster like garbage bags that HD comes to pick up when they are full (it is on their website). Did I say be ruthless?

 

You have a garage? maybe get that done first so packed boxes can be put in there - folks like to see that. Also, if you can, get your packing materials and as you de-clutter, you can pack the items you willbe moving in a packing box, mark the box, close it up and put it in the garage -- kind of killing two birds with one stone.

 

I declutter and pack at the same time and do so as if we are moving out in a week -- hence, all of our winter clothes were packed when the cold weather rolled around and we hadn't moved yet - but, you can always work around that.

 

You do not want to paint around clutter -- freshly painted closets are something that buyers love.

[cajunrose]

We actually pay for storage so everything is going in there. We (I) am going through this house room by room and relentlessly getting rid of, boxing up or donating loads of just crap. It feels so much better in my house (which stays cluttered). My mom is coming down in a month to help me in the back of the house which is worse than the front. I'm so ready to be done with this already. We have been 'moving' for 12 years now. My husband has been dragging his feet for that long. I have a bull whip in my hands now and we are GOING to get this done and move. I'm reading these moving threads with open eyes and ears and making a list of what needs to be done. I have 2 dogs and a cat (and 7 chickens) and getting the house *sterile like* is going to be SO hard. I have no idea how I'm going to do it.

[Tap]

Really think about the photographs you use for the listing.

 

A tip.....when you photograph the inside for the listing, remove everything you can from the floors, counters, sink counters etc. As homeowners, it can be easy to not see the little things that create clutter in a photo. Little things like toothbrush holders, toilet brushes, bathroom garbage cans, soap dispensers, items on a bedroom end table, laundry soap containers, blankets, rugs, lamps that create functional light-but aren't needed in a photo, pet food dishes, candy dishes/cookie jars, appliances on kitchen counters, create clutter that is very easily removable for a photograph. Turn on all your lights when you photograph so there are no dark corners, back light (behind the camera) with lamps carried room to room if you need to. Clean windows and remove screens for the photo, so it looks brighter. Open curtains, especially if there is a lovely view outside. Try to photograph on a sunny day so it is more cheerful. Look at every. single. horizontal space before you photograph each room and minimize the items as much as possible. Clean light fixtures and polish chrome. Sweep, mop and vacuum. Even if the floor looks clean, clean it again, just before the photos. If you have mirrors, see what they are reflecting in them in the photograph (it is amazing what they capture). Things like floral bouquets can be beautiful but can also block the view of a room. Make sure rooms have items that 'scale' the room to the correct proportions. ie...If you have a single, huge over stuffed chair, it can make a room seem smaller than it really is. Even details like removing things from closets so they are almost empty, removing a chair from a desk (leave the desk in place, just remove the chair) can open up more space in a photo. You want a home to feel easy to keep organized, so even things like straightening a pantry is important.

 

Clean things like the exterior door before photographing the outside. Mow the lawn and remove cars from the driveway/street. Trim bushes, remove exterior decorations in the yard. If you have things like bikes, yard toys or a plastic toy house in the yard, move it before you photograph that area. Swing sets are fine, unless you plan to get rid of it anyways, especially if it looks old/broken/rusted...then do. Good condition swing sets are fine. Clear the patio. Move garbage cans. Remember, you don't have to get rid of everything....just move it out of the way of the camera.

 

 

 

I have seen so many photographs that homeowners/Realtors have done, which really don't capture the best of a house. Some people make rash decisions based on these photos, so take your time to photograph well and make sure each photo is what you want to show to a buyer. Sometimes, it seems like a Realtor is so eager to list a house, that the photos are done in a rush and often even before repairs and final decluttering are done. Even if you aren't finished decluttering, you don't have to photograph it that way!

 

The photos can be the first thing AND the last thing that a buyer sees. People often take notes on the paper and take it home with them, make these photos true advertisements of your home.

[CandaceC]

You guys have been SO Helpful, thank you for all these wonderful tips!! :)

 

So, should I wait to call a realtor until we have EVERYTHING done that we want to do?

 

Or can I call the realtor to come and look (before listing,) get their opinion on what should be done to the house and then keep working for 1-2 more weeks before we actually list it.

 

I would like to go ahead and call, DH thinks we should wait til we have everything painted, cleaned, decluttered, etc.

[Tap]

Absolutely get a storage unit, preferably one close by so you feel more comfortable putting in items that you think you may want to use. It really helps to decrease stress, to get things 'out of sight/out of mind'.

[ChristyB in TN]

Oooh. Are you a realtor? :D

 

Is it true that it's better to show a furnished house than an empty house? I personally prefer to view empty houses and it is possible for us to have our household goods packed and out of here. I am sorely tempted. It would definitely be easier to keep the place clean and ready for showings. The stress of trying to keep this house perfect at all times, homeschooling with three young kids, might drive me to madness. I mean, the kids' bathroom alone is making me rip my hair out, and we're not even on the market yet. I'm in training for maintaining perfection and honestly, it's not going well. :tongue_smilie:

 

Also, we live in a military community and move-in ready (as in empty and literally ready to move in ASAP) is very attractive to people. We actually rented this house from the builder for two months before closing and were thrilled to have that option, as it meant we didn't have to make a tough choice between buying this house (the one we really liked and wanted), settling for another that was move-in ready that we didn't like as well, or pay through the nose for temporary housing while our HHG sat in storage.

 

Yes, I am! I own a real estate company with my husband. I'm at work now, but obviously I'm taking a little break from the Monday bookkeeping. :D I love an empty house but other realtors love it when they are staged or at least have furniture. I don't think it will kill a sale to have the furniture in it. The easiest thing to do with kids is to invest in tubs with lids and you can pack their toys and school stuff away in a matter of minutes. Maybe do a clean up every morning with spray and paper towels and be dressed and ready to run when a showing happens.

The sweet, homey things we do to our homes tend to look cluttered to others. Get the throw blankets off the backs of the sofas, lose the bath mats when people are looking, no extra carpets and such, no litter box anywhere, store all the decor you might have on top of your kitchen cabinets. The tin collection is nice but it makes the kitchen look cluttered.

One of my listings is a fantastic ranch house, great area, lots of space, and priced beautifully. The owners smoke heavily and have lots of decor and I cannot seem to get them to understand why their house won't sell. Yesterday I did an open house and the couple who showed up to see it looked puzzled at all the ruffled toilet seat covers and the gigantic ruffled curtains everywhere. The owners have sponge painted a wall in the bonus room with blue and included big, puffy white clouds! The display shelf in front of this wall has a ceramic Christmas tree, a few more Christmas things, a Halloween witch, a ceramic Halloween pumpkin and some more harvest type things. This couple did not bat an eye, they started telling me what a fantastic place that would be for their toothpick holder collection. To each his own...who would have thought? What upset them was the ceiling and some minor repairs I could fix in about an hour! Thanks for letting me share that, I'm still shaking my head and it has nothing to do with any of your questions. :D

[ChristyB in TN]

You guys have been SO Helpful, thank you for all these wonderful tips!! :)

 

So, should I wait to call a realtor until we have EVERYTHING done that we want to do?

 

Or can I call the realtor to come and look (before listing,) get their opinion on what should be done to the house and then keep working for 1-2 more weeks before we actually list it.

 

I would like to go ahead and call, DH thinks we should wait til we have everything painted, cleaned, decluttered, etc.

 

I think you should go ahead and make that appointment with a realtor but make it 2 weeks from now. That way you and your husband have a deadline!