1. Exterior – this is the first impression so make it a good one! Here is a breakdown of what to do:
Cold/Wet/Snowy Months – shovel shovel shovel! Walkways, steps, driveways! No one wants to feel like they are trekking through the arctic to enter your property. Ice can be a pesky problem so make sure you sand or salt (or green alternatives) to avoid any slips or falls. Clean up any trash or debris that winter winds can whip up on your yard. If the snow and ice has melted, make sure there are no surprises left underneath. Clean up the yard and gardens so everything is neat and tidy, remove dead leaves & weeds, do some fresh edging. Put away any tools, toys or furniture left out from warmer months.
Warm Weather – this is where curb appeal shines! Keep your grass freshly mowed and watered, remove all the weeds, gardens should be overturned, hedges and bushes trimmed, dead or sick plants removed, powerwash drive and walkways and even the house if it needs it! Clean and shiny windows never hurt anyone either (well except for some confused birds). Don’t be afraid of colour! Flowers come in all sorts of beautiful hues. Plant some! Or if you are green thumb challenged, planters do just fine! Make sure any outdoor furniture is in good condition – cushions and all. Limit kids toys and put away gardening tools etc.
And always make sure all exterior lights are working properly.
Keep eaves clean.
2. Declutter & Depersonalize – time to put away your family photos, piles of laundry, comic book and magazine collections!
The general rule of thumb (look up the origins of this expression!) is to make your home a space that buyers imagine themselves living in with their things. Which means sellers need to put away personal and non essential belongings. Personal photos, sentimental items, anything with religious connotations, laundry, toys (kids and pets).
Get in deep! Clean all the nooks and crannies that may have never seen a Swiffer. Make bathrooms and kitchens sparkle the most!
Fix any scrapes, missing trim & tiles etc, remove damaged window coverings, make sure all light fixtures have matching brightness and properly working bulbs.
Closets – everyone’s secret shame! People will look inside. Make sure you clean them out. Keep as little on the floor and top shelving. Organize hanging clothes according to item type and colour, leave a few inches gap between.
Kitchen and bathroom cabinets should also be cleaned out – people need to see there is plenty of room!
Fresh paint is a great idea if you have the time and money. If not, make sure you do any necessary touch ups.
3. Re-arranging existing furniture, art, accessories etc.
This step is best outlined by a professional staging consultation – we just so happen to know the best one!
We provide this consultation for you. The stager will come in, walk you through your home and give you detailed instructions on what to do with each room including what to put away, what to keep, what to replace and what to put where. This includes everything from the curb to the inside to the backyard. Worried you won’t remember everything? Don’t worry. A Consultation Report is included!
Your goal is our goal – to sell your property for the best price in the shortest amount of time! These steps, along with a Staging Consultation will help get you there! The work pays off!