Selling a home begins with a listing consultation and includes a tour so that I have an idea of the updates, upgrades, and other bells and whistles the home might have. While the list I create may help market the property; the list I leave the owner will actually help sell it. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and the first person who views it might be the buyer.

Real estate tips for sellers include doing homework first to save time later

Nobody likes homework. Nine times out of ten, the assignment is the same for every homeowner: attack the clutter. A person can outdo any squirrel when it comes to storing things away. Things aren’t saved for winter though; they are saved for ‘someday’. I still haven’t found that day on any calendar.

There are lots of things to do once a home goes under contract, which includes carrying on with a daily routine.  Starting to clear things out will help prevent a packing frenzy later on, where you are moving things you would have discarded, had you started clearing out the clutter earlier.

Buyers will stay longer when they are really thinking about buying a home.  When they are comfortable and can picture their belongings in a home, they feel good.

When a potential buyer opens a closet that is packed from top to bottom, the brain doesn’t say “Wow they have a lot of stuff”. The buyer’s brain says “There is no room for my stuff”. This holds true for garages as well. Clutter makes an area appear smaller as well and optically it gives the eyes a lot to process, things look busy, and that translates to stress. You want the buyer to be relaxed and feel good when they come into your home.

How do you combat clutter? Home selling advice
* Throw away things that you’ve been meaning to fix for years.
* Donate clothing and other items
* Sell things, if you have items of significant monetary value.
* Rent storage space until the house sells.