Where to Begin when Selling your Home
So you’re ready to sell? Maybe the house is too small, large or just not what you want. The problem is not with your home, but it just doesn’t fit your family anymore. Something attracted you to it initially, and that something could be just what another family is looking for. But you need to look at your home new as if you were buying it all over again.
Sprucing up the house will leave a great impression on potential buyers. You need to grab attention and create excitement about finding a house that looks and feels well-cared for. Buyers know they’ll encounter fewer problems if they buy a cared for home, which will make it more appealing and stand out from the rest of the market. Preparing your home correctly will save you time on the market!
Looks are not the only thing that will draw potential buyers, but a good first impression makes an impact on a number of levels. A buyer considers how a home feels and smells, how their friends and family will react and how they imagine it would be to live there.
Simple improvements through your house can grab the attention of potential buyers. We’ll help you show them why your house is right for them.
Preparing your Home for Sale
First impressions make all the difference on a buyer’s decision-making process!
Home Styling or Staging is not about decorating, but turning your home into a model to de-emphasize its flaws and appeal to the broadest range of prospective buyers. When your home is on the market it becomes a product. You need to highlight the positives and make people feel like they could live there. The best way is to “neutralize” the surroundings.
REALTOR® Magazine Online has provided these helpful styling tips in their article “Setting the Stage” comprised of the best kept secrets from real estate pros and stagers for things you can do at little to no expense to put a home in prime showing shape.
- Clear out closets and clutter—sellers can give away or pack up toys, linens, and small kitchen appliances to store offsite. Buyers are also forgiving of storage boxes neatly tucked away in a garage or basement.
- Focus most on the most visible areas—the foyer, kitchen, living room, master bedroom, and family room.
- De-personalize the home by removing photos, mementos, and dated items.
- Use plants in colorful pots or inexpensive wicker baskets to fill in empty spaces.
- Look to home catalogs for little details on beautifying the home. For instance, group books, pictures, and objects d’art appealingly on bookcases.
- Try angling one or two pieces of furniture slightly and move furniture 4 inches to 6 inches from the wall to create more interesting room spaces.
- Put away large collections— porcelains, plates, and so on.
- Remove valuables, prescription medicine, collectibles, and breakables.
- Trim trees, prune shrubs, and make sure the lawn is mowed and watered regularly.
- In summer, turn on the sprinklers for five minutes, 30 minutes before the open house. It makes the lawn and driveway sparkle.
- Refrain from cooking anything that leaves a distinctive odor, such as fish, garlic, or cabbage.
- Hire a professional service to clean the home, including the carpets and the windows.
- Set the dining room table with attractive linens, dishes, and stemware.
- Arrange fresh or silk flowers throughout the home.
- Light a fire in the fireplace in fall and winter.
- A mirror in a pretty frame can make a small room feel more open.
- Use as much natural light as possible. Add extra lamps in dark rooms or corners.
- Make functional repairs—fix dripping faucets, sticking doors, and broken fences.
- Bring in another pair of eyes—even if it’s not a professional stylist. The person may see problems you and have missed.
To talk about your real estate goals, call or email us today!
helen@helenoliveri.com
847.967.0022
Testimonials
I am beyond grateful that it was Helen and her team who carried us through the roller coaster known as our house sale. Without her I am more than sure we would not have sold it and potentially ended up in foreclosure. Helen is exactly what I needed during negotiations. She never made me feel stupid about the process nor did she do anything but lend an ear during a time of strife. Without question, I would recommend and use her services again.
We were so very pleased to have Helen as our selling agent. We were especially impressed by her personal touch and concern for our interest, market in-puts and follow-up, quick turnaround time, and knowledge of the field. You should be proud of what you do as you definitely stand out as a highly qualified real estate agent. We never felt you ever let us down and were always looking out for our best interest.
We had made the mistake of first signing with another team…..their claims being much the same as yours. What we learned was claims are one thing, but living up to them is another thing altogether. That experience made us even more “gun shy” of your claims of service and attention. You lived up to and went beyond every claim. Your work ethics and attention to detail inspired us to ask if we could put this letter together.
Helen is an expert at marketing your home and takes full advantage of every marketing channel available. She is responsive and knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. They really pull out all the stops to get your home sold. We really appreciated the professionalism of the team, even when we got cold feet and were in a panic, they talked us off the ledge. The team took us through the sale of one home and the purchase of a new home and we couldn’t be happier. Well done Helen Oliveri Team!!!
My experience working with Helen Oliveri and The Helen Oliveri Team was excellent. My property was marketed excellent!
I must tell you, your staff is the kindest, most courtesy, helpful people I have ever run across. It is a pleasure to work with them. Thank you again for your prompt assistance.
Selling your home is stressful but not with Helen. She will guide you completely through the process. Also, working with the team was excellent. The team will keep you updated and help you with any questions or concerns along the way. I felt my home was marketed excellent. Honest and effective marketing. We were interested in selling our home not just listing it.
We have just listed our home with Helen. She is very honest and upfront about the listing and selling procedures, very aggressive with getting the house marketed and has a wonderful staff working with her to get things going! My husband and I are very happy with our decision to list with her.
Helen and her team operates in a very professional and courteous manner. Everything was handled well from the beginning through the closing process. Would gladly recommend her services to anyone.
I felt as though I had a trusted friend by my side each and every step of the way while buying my very first home. Helen is honest and genuine, an invaluable trait in a friend, so you can imagine how pleased I was to find it in an agent! She answered all of my questions and explained the things I didn’t understand without making me feel silly or inferior. When the time comes, I won’t hesitate to entrust the sale of my home to Helen. Working with her was truly a pleasure!