Preparing your home for sale

By Mary Storer-Sanborn
NH Mirror Contributor

In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George Bailey had his hands full running the Building & Loan and raising a family. He and Mary bought a true “fixer-upper,” and although they made it habitable over the years, he never did get around to remedying that “drafty old house.”

Presentation is key when it comes to selling your home. (Courtesy Photo)

What if George and Mary Bailey are ready to sell the house and retire in our current market? The drafty old house could use some updating. Keep in mind George is somewhat of a packrat and has even kept Zuzu’s petals.

They are about to put their house on the market, but they may be waiting a long time unless they prepare their home for sale.

It is important to develop the right mind-set to sell your home. When a house goes up for sale, it is necessary to remove mementos around the house to make room for another family’s memories. A buyer will not care if the Baileys have marked the height of their children in the doorway. What may seem quirky to you may be a major turnoff to a buyer.

So how do you prepare to sell? Start with staging your home. A home that is prepared before the “For Sale” sign goes up often sells more quickly and for more money than those that are not staged.

Advice for selling a house abounds, from decluttering and adding fresh coats of paint to curb appeal, backyard appeal, scrubbing windows and turning on the lights.

But what color should you paint it? What if the light fixtures are all from 1972? Would moving the sofa to the other corner help or hinder traffic flow? Should you replace or repair? Just how far do you go to ensure the time and dollars you spend are best spent? How do you see through the eyes of a buyer?

With the help of a professional home stager, a plan of action is put together. Implementing this step-by-step plan will appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. It creates vignettes of groupings appealing to the eye, which is useful in helping the buyer imagine their own belongings in the house.

Like George and Mary Bailey, we are spread thin to meet the challenges of work, home and community. Add to that your house lingering on the market and the stresses can be overwhelming.

A home stager will assist you in creating a budget and help implement your plan, taking away the stress of selling your current home so you can focus on having a wonderful life in your next.

Mary Storer-Sanborn is owner of NH Home Staging, LLC and Realtor at Carlson GMAC/Bedford. For advice and information, visit www.nhhomestaging.com or call 860-2392.