The Most Important Home Preparation Tip

Can you guess it?  It’s DE-CLUTTERING.

OK, maybe you’ve heard that before, but chances are you might not be aware of just how important it is, and why.  Here’s the scoop from my perspective, after successfully selling homes in Seattle and on the Eastside for nine years.

The Camera Makes Your Home Gain 10 Pounds

First of all, every home these days needs to look as good as possible online.  That means good photos are a must, and it brings issues into play that were less important ten, or even five years ago.

Just as we humans tend to look larger in photos, the camera makes the items in your home appear more prominently – about 30% more prominently, in my opinion.  That means that even items that don’t initially qualify as clutter become clutter in a photo.

The Goal:  Clean Lines and Open Flow

Clean lines and open flow sell homes.  People don’t like to feel hemmed in, and they do like to feel that things are in order, taken care of and neat.  A lot of this takes place subconsciously.

As the seller, it’s in your best interests to present your home that way to buyers, and clutter directly detracts from the market value of your home by diluting that marketing message. 

Remember that the buyer who views your home, especially in person, is often suffering from overwhelm.  They may be scheduled to see five or six other homes immediately after yours, and typically they’re being showered with both tangible and emotional input.  You remember…  the hope!  The disappointment!  The good times of looking for the perfect home….

When buyers see clutter, subconsciously they think, “this will take work” – even if that’s not the case.

If at First You Don’t De-Clutter, Try, Try Again

Here’s the easiest way to help yourself gain perspective.  Take a photo of a room in your home, and look for anything that would be hard for a stranger to identify.

Suddenly you’ll notice how many “under the radar” items become shapes in the photo that cause the casual viewer to think (even for a split-second), ”What is that?”

Most of these items needs to go, along with distractingly patterned bedspreads, tablecloths, and throwcovers.  (If you’re in doubt, just calculate the percentage of surface area they take up in the photo.)

When you’re done, take another photo.  Chances are you’ll see a few distracting items pop out now that you had never noticed before.  Seriously consider putting some of these away, at least for the listing photos.

It’s true that you can get away with more in person, and I’m not even a believer in the idea that you have to completely de-personalize a home in order to sell it (that depends to some extent on the home.)  But the bottom line is that photos are key to getting people in the door, and a home that is prepared well for photos usually shows even better in person.