Depersonalize, depersonalize, depersonalize! Imagine entering a home that you have an interest in buying and the first thing you see is a large family portrait. The picture may look nice, but potential buyers need to be able to visualize themselves living there. Or what if you enter the home of a hunter and see a bear head and wall mounts of prized fish he caught. Those items could intrigue somebody, but more likely than not it doesn’t. In fact, decorations with too much of the current owner’s personality can be such a turn off that they no longer have an interest in the home. The sole reason being they couldn’t see themselves living there.

The first step to depersonalize your home is to take down personal photos and most of your belongings. You will be moving anyway, so just start packing most of the belongings you won’t need for a few months away and keep in an organized area in the garage or best yet is to rent out a storage unit. I say a storage unit because a lot of your furniture can go. You only want to keep enough furniture to create a purpose for a room. Too much furniture can make the room look smaller than it is. If you can, it's also wise to not have everything moved out because as you can see this room on the right is nice, but might be too bare for a buyer to imagine their own belongings in. A bedroom really only needs a neatly made bed, a side table and a lamp. If you can get away without a dresser for a few months, then you should.

For items that you need on a regular basis or easy access to, it is recommended to buy containers that you can store under your bed. For example, a bathroom has a lot of clutter in there such as things to get ready for the day, toothbrush, razor, shampoo, etc. Put literally all of that away for showings and keep under your bed. The only things that should be in a bathroom for a showing is a hand towel, soap and possibly a candle.  

Now that your home is decluttered, go through your home a second time and maybe a third to make sure you didn’t miss anything. Start by entering your own home and look for things that other people may not like. You want a simple look. Maybe a painting is too much of your personality. Maybe there are too many decorations on the wall. A living room should simply have couches, pillow and possibly a blanket. If you have small children, make sure all their toys are put away. The room on the right is nice and organized, but it would look even better to a buyer if all of this was removed. A dining room simply needs table and chairs. A kitchen should be cleared of all items and possibly a fruit display to make it look elegant. There should never be dirty dishes out for a showing. A refrigerator should be clear of any pictures and magnets. If you have pets, make sure you can arrange for them to be at your neighbors or friends house during showings. Also, get rid of any pet items in the house such as food, food bowl, etc.

There are many other things to be aware of before putting your house on the market such as staging and paint colors, but that’s a whole new topic. If you are thinking about selling your home or have any questions about real estate in Greenville, South Carolina or the surrounding areas, please give us a call at 864-438-5050 and we will be happy to assist you. Visit www.GreenvilleRealEstateHub.com for more information on local real estate.