When it comes to selling and buying a property, timing is everything. In a perfect world, you will have a buyer ready to move into your old house just in time for you to move to your new home.
Unfortunately, this is seldom the case and you may end up moving to a new place, before selling your current home. This leaves you in a pretty complicated situation. You will be faced with the challenge to sell an empty house.
Contrary to the common sense that offering a bare property decreases your chances of a quick deal, selling a home without furnishing has plenty of benefits. After all, an empty place is like a blank canvas open to the buyer’s imagination. Here are a couple of tips to make your property more appealing to the perspective house-hunters.
House Staging Tips # 1: Landscaping
The first thing potential buyers will see is the exterior of your home. Ensure that the outside area of your home is neat and tidy. Cut down the grass, rake up the fallen leaves in the fall, trim the hedges in the summer and stay on top of the snow clearance. Get rid of any tattered constructions and take care of the overall garden waste removal. If you don’t have time to tackle these tasks yourself, hire professional services to manage the job.
House Staging Tips #2: Outdoor Updates
Since you are selling an empty house, you need to impress the buyers with the exterior of your place. Walk around your property to identify any issues. Clear out the gutters, clean the patio, paint the fence, the house exterior and other outdoor constructions. Replace the old front door with a new one. Remove the rubbish from your garden shed and garage.
House Staging Tips #3: Interior Features
Make the most of your home by taking advantage of your assets. Highlight the features that reveal the true potential of your home. For example a fire place, a hardwood floor or a unique architectural characteristic might just be the deal maker. Think what makes your home special and what perspective buyers may find attractive.
House Staging Tips #4: Furniture
If you still feel that you can’t convince the potential buyers by simply showing an empty house, then you have several options. You can consider leaving a couple of things in the key rooms. A piece or two are in will help the buyer imagine more easily how the space will look. You can either rent or barrow furniture from your neighbours. You don’t need a lot of pieces to fill the space. A table and a couple of chairs for the dining room are enough, while the bedroom may only need a bed, a chest and a nightstand.
House Staging Tips #5: Touch-ups and Maintenance
Check your home for minor repairs that you can complete around your home before you go to market. If it’s vacant buyers will see all the imperfections because there is nothing deterring their view. Also, there are probably things you won’t want to take with you at your new place. There is no point to leave these items in the house if they will not raise the game of your property. Plan your waste clearance services in advance and get rid of the unwanted stuff before the house tours.
House Staging Tips #6: Fixtures
Replace any outdated or broken fixtures, like drawer pulls, doorknobs, lights and faucets. These simple details will have a huge impact on the room’s appeal and will make the entire place look like brand new.
From garden waste clearance to updating fixtures, these simple improvements will help you seal the deal in no time.
Heather Roberts is a freelance guest blogger from London, UK. She has got many published articles on various topics such as cleaning, organizing, home and garden etc. She loves to spend her time with family and friends and she also tries to live an eco-friendly life.
