You’ve had many good years with your North Burnaby house or condo, but now you’re moving on to the next stage of your life. Whether you need more rooms for your growing family or you’re a fresh empty nester who needs to downsize, the time to sell your home has come.
While it’s no secret the North Burnaby real estate market is hot, to give yourself the edge and get the best price for your home, you’ll want to make sure it looks its absolute best. This is what’s known in the real estate biz as “staging.” There are professional companies who specialize in this, but you can also definitely take on the job yourself.
If you’re planning on doing the staging of your home yourself, here are a few key points to keep in mind.
1. Less is more
We all know moving can be stressful. Luckily, you can actually use home staging as a way to get some of the bother out of the way nice and early. Decluttering makes your home much more appealing for potential buyers, who can better see the bones of the property. It also means you’ll finally get rid of that box of old clothes you’ve been meaning to donate for one, two … maybe five years. Get rid of any extra furniture you’ve accumulated over the years, and definitely don’t have stacks and piles of anything anywhere.
2. Keep it neutral
You’ve lovingly chosen the colour palette for each room of your beautiful North Burnaby home, and it can be hard to paint over all that work. However, the fact is that buyers have an easier time imagining what they’d do when presented with a nice clean slate. To help you get through it, just think of the fun decorating challenge your next home will offer!
3. Show off the goods
You know your home better than anyone. In the same way you highlight your best features with the clothing or makeup you wear, the same principle applies to your home. Have original hardwood floors? Make sure they’re not covered up during viewings! Do you have that coveted southern exposure? While your teenager may fight you, make sure the blackout curtains are removed from the bedroom windows for the duration of the sale process.
4. Spruce up the kitchen
There are a few rooms that can make or break a sale: the kitchen is one of them. While you don't need to buy all new appliances, make sure yours have been deep cleaned and polished up. This is one area where it’s worth splurging on a cleaning service to make sure every nook and cranny is spotless. Someone else’s grime is on no one’s “must have” home buying checklist.
5. Don’t skip the details
While so far the advice has been to remove items when staging your home for sale, there are a few key spaces where you should add a touch or two. From getting the bathroom tile regrouted to updating the yellowed light-switch covers for something more polished, small DIY or low-cost fixes can be the thing that give your North Burnaby real estate that je ne sais quoi that elevates it over the property down the street. Make a list of worn-out or dated elements and figure out which fixes fit into your budget. Taken all together, these little changes can add up to a facelift.
As a North Burnaby realtor, Pauline knows how to sell your home and neighbourhood. Call or email Pauline today to set up an appointment.