Phangarde Realty Blog

Last week I touched on the subject of STAGING your home for a faster sale.  Today, I wanted to share 9 tips that will help you organize while in the process of staging and moving.  Like with any project, the key is to be efficient and organized in a manner that keeps things in control.  When you make that decision to sell your home, it takes an emotional and physical toll on you and your family.  Sometimes, the most mundane task gets overlooked and its the small things that will result in added stress to your hectic schedule with staging and preparing for a move.  Here is a list I have compiled to share with you, and hope that you can incorporate this process in your routine to make things much easier for you in the process.  The first rule is:

1.  Cleaning Your Home:  The first rule of moving and staging your home for sale is to get rid of unnecessary clutter before you move.  That way, you do not have to find a place for those rarely used items when you move into your new home.  The best thing to do is, hold a garage sale and or donate such items away to a charity.

2.  Getting Organized and Efficient:  Two months prior to the move, keep track of all your mail and make a list of people, subscriptions, and organizations that should be notified of the change.  Contact the postal services and change your address.  Do not forget about your bank, your insurance agent, your doctor, your vet, and anyone else that may be important.

3.  Cancel and Reorder:  Make another list that includes utilities such as telephone, gas, electric, water, cable, and Internet access.  Remember to contact your pest control, lawn care, window cleaning, and other services to let them know your moving.

4.  Be Cautious:  Whether your hiring professionals or doing it yourself, remove all rugs, low hanging items and tripping hazards.  Keep walkways and hallways clear of clutter.  This is probably a good time to arrange for relatives or friends to watch your children and pets so that they do not injure themselves during the moving process.  This can get very hectic, and you do not want to worry about other external factors that can be easily avoided.

5.  Be Available and Courteous:  Although this is a given, often times we get wrapped up with the job that we will forget our manners and this is where chaos occurs.  Make yourself available to answer questions on both ends of the move; for those who are loading your items and those who unload.  Review your inventory and make sure the driver has all your contact information and details of your delivery.  This makes for a smooth transition.  Remember, you are packing and organizing your home for staging to sell, and preparing to move into the new home.  So many things are going simultaneously.

6.  Know What You Are Packing:  Label boxes in detail, including content and the room to which it should be placed in.  This short step will alleviate alot of headaches.  The caveat here is to remember to pack a set of clothes for you and your children, some snacks and even a coffee maker if you like to enjoy a nice cup of coffee.  When you move, its those items that you realize are tucked inside a box somewhere and just a obstacle to reach, but if you take a second to plan ahead, you are prepared. 

7.  Know whats NOT important:  Remember that charcoal, lighter fluid, pesticides, and paint thinner are a few items that professional moving companies will not touch.  Make arrangements to transport these items.  Valuables such as cash, jewelry and important documents should stay with you or even placed in a safety deposit box.

8.  Check and Recheck:  Before the moving truck departs, make sure everything is loaded or unloaded for your move.  Check the basement, attic, closets, and garage for things you may have forgotten.  If something is damaged during the move, notify your moving company immediately and take photographs of the damaged items.  This will safeguard from heresay issues.

9.  Be Positive:  Moving can be very easy if initiated correctly with a game plan in order.  With the right preparation, it will run smoothly and make your transition pain free.  The great thing is when you have arrived at your new destination, throw yourself a nice welcome home party, and invite the neighbors.  This gives you a chance to meet your new friends.

With all this being said, it is imperative that you understand anything can be accomplished in a pain free manner if you take some time to plan.  Often times easier said than done, but this is a benchmark for you to use to set out a plan that best suits your environment.  I hope that my suggestions and tips help you in your next move and that you can make your transition a happy and safe one. 

One of the constant questions each homeowner I work with asks, not how much it will sell for, but rather "How can we sell my home fast?"  This question seems all too common, but often overlooked by many people.  Their quest to sell for the highest dollar, often results in putting the horse before the carriage so to speak.  I explain to all my clients, that in order to sell their home, the key is to get people excited and ramped up about their home.  People may make reasons for why a price is established high, but whats inside the home must equate to what the price is asking.  This lead me to idea that although many people know about staging their home, the concern is do they know some basics to begin with, so that the process does not become daunting, leading many to just scrap the idea altogether and hope that their house sells on its own.  Here is a list I have compiled through the years, working with homeowners, interior designers, and other professionals in the industry.  Please remember, this is just a general list, whatever you can gather from this, is a foundation to incorporate it into your own vision.  You know what features you liked about your house when you bought it, so lets incorporate such concepts into the staging process to make your home Unique.  The list:

1.  Kitchens have to Shine and Sparkle: Countertops need to be clean, and de-cluttered.  Remove appliances, such as blenders, toasters, and food processors.  If you have a breakfast table or countertop bar, put complete table settings, to give others a visual image.

2.  Add plants and liven up your home:  Place live plants and cut flowers around the home to add a decorative touch, without going broke.  The idea is to establish a warm and inviting place for people.

3.  First impressions are key:  Brighten up your entrance to your home.  Vibrant colors capture the prospects eyes in the direction of your home.  Place a nice welcome mat, and if available add planters with seasonal flowers to show flair.  Keep the entry way and hallways clean and clear of items.

4.  Selling your space, NOT your things:  Remember the goal of a successful showing is to make a prospect feel at home - like its theirs, not yours.  Put away your extensive personal collections.  Although it may be very impressive to you, it may deter others.  the KEY:  open up your space so prospects can actually see what they're buying.

5.  Elbow grease and Paint, does wonders:  A thorough cleaning, and fresh paint will give you the greatest return on your investment.  Remember that neutral walls are your best bet when staging a home for sale.

6.  Provide a path for prospects to journey:  This is perhaps one of the more difficult areas that many people get turned away by.  The thought of rearranging furniture can be difficult, since you think your furniture only works a certain way, but remember, the idea is what the prospect can invision, not what you think is best.  Place major pieces of furniture at an angle, such as a couch or desk.  Angles add interest and can creat a more open feel.

7.  Brighten up your home:  Place lighting fixtures, such as lamps in dark corners and arrange window treatments so that natural light floods your rooms.  Brighter is always better, and your rooms will look larger. 

8.  External areas:  If you have a porch, deck, or patio, clean the furniture and replace worn cushions.  Breath new life into your deck with a fresh finish.  This adds more appeal to prospects initial impression.

9.  For Investors:  If you have a vacant home, consider renting furniture for certain main rooms, but do not go extreme.  The idea is to provide a cozy atmosphere and accentuating the homes great features. 

I hope this information is helpful to many homeowners thinking of selling their home.  Remember, the importance is to provide reasons for people to think about your home and why they like it.  Some little things, can result in big rewards, the key is finding the right information and people to share and assist you in your ventures.

Phil Phan, MBA, GRI, e-PRO

www.PhangardeRealty.com