Although sellers often think about replacing big-items such as roofs and flooring, veteran Realtors say the former often overlook small and inexpensive fixes that can help eliminate big turnoffs for potential homebuyers.
Salt Lake Tribune ~ April 30, 2011 ~ Selling Your Home? Focus on the Details by Lesley Mitchell

I recently ran across a fantastic article in the Salt Lake Tribune with tips for getting a home ready for sale. The tips from local Utah realtors were fantastic. What struck me most about the article was how relevant the tips were to generally getting organized. Whether you are getting ready to move or in your home for the long haul, looking at your space from the view of a potential buyer can be very helpful.  A few other tips from the article:

“I think we become blind to what our home really looks like because we see it all the time,” Nichols said. “The trick is to step back and look at your home through the eyes of a buyer.”
Having trouble doing that? Enlist the help of someone who isn’t in your home every day. Ask them to be brutally honest. That deer head on the wall? Perhaps it’s time to pack that away, now.

Having someone from outside take a look at your space is extremely useful. In fact, this is what my colleagues and I as a Professional Organizers do all the time. We provide the fresh perspective that is lost when you live in a space.

Messy homes and yards often appear much smaller than they are

Have you ever noticed that when your home is cluttered you feel cramped and even stressed? You may even be prompted to tell your spouse “We need a bigger house!” But you may not need a bigger home at all – just a better way of caring for and storing the things you want and need to have in your space. Decluttering can make your home feel bigger. It’s like getting the gift of a extra space without going through the mortgage process again!

Fix things that need fixing » “If you have some small repairs, like a leaky faucet, get them done now,” said Realtor Kenny Parcell, president of the Utah Association of Realtors.

We all have those little annoying issues around our home. They are small and they don’t interfer in your daily life. It’s so easy to just ignore them. Or, more likely, stop noticing them at all. Why wait to fix all those little things until you are ready to move? Make your home a fabulous place to live today, for your family! Taking care of that broken window screen or small drywall hole will allow help you fall in love with your home all over again.

Deal with smells » Have someone who isn’t in your home every day give your home the sniff test.

Just like the little issues house changing the smells in your home can give it a whole new feeling. When we were buying our home, my husband and I looked at a house that we really liked but it smelled very very strongly of a particular ethnic cooking spice. It was overwhelming and turned us off from the house because we figured it would be too hard to get that smell out of the walls and carpet. Wouldn’t you want to know if you were turning off your guests with an offensive odor? Ask a friend, or your professional organizer, to tell you what they detect. You may find that a small change to the aromas you arrive home to can change your mood.

If you are planning to move, I encourage you to follow the tips suggested in the article. Even if you are not moving soon, consider making these small detailed changes. You may just find the house you’ve grown tired of can be the home you love once again.

Would you like help focusing on the details in your home? Let’s get together for a complimentary consultation and review how a professional organizer can help you upgrade how you feel in your space!

Be Sociable, Share!

•