When you list your home for sale, it becomes a product to be marketed by your Realtor and viewed by the public. Like other commodities, your home, rather than your possessions, must be seen in a positive light in order for it to sell. It needs to stand out from similar products on the market. By creating a series of first impressions, beginning with positive curb appeal and by showcasing your home's best features, the buyer is able to connect emotionally and can imagine living there.
Generally, when prospective buyers arrive to view a property, they have already established that it may meet their basic criteria. By thoroughly preparing your home for viewing, you can create a series of positive impressions throughout, motivating the buyer to linger and, hopefully, decide to move in rather than move on.
The impression you want to convey is de-personalized (pack up all those family photographs along with any religious or political items) and de-cluttered. Removing excess furniture and accessories, repositioning furniture to create flowing traffic patterns and clearing kitchen and bathroom counter tops of all but a very few items can go a long way towards enabling the buyer to see your house and all of its' features, rather than focusing on all of your "stuff". You can safely assume that the buyer will notice virtually everything, from curb appeal to cleanliness to traffic patterns and furniture walls. Buyers only know what they see, not the way it "could" be.
Taking a good hard look at your home, both inside and out, through the eyes of a prospective buyer, is the first step to objectivity. Remember, you and your Realtor have a common goal, to see that you get the highest possible price for your home in the shortest amount of time.
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