If you’re considering selling your condo, you may feel overwhelmed by how much is involved in the process. You might not even be absolutely certain of what the process involves. When buying or selling your condo a realtor can be of help, and might mention the concept of “staging” to you. Staging involves preparing your condo so that its visual appeal for buyers is maximized. You can’t address every potential issue with the condo before putting it up for sale, and even if you could, different buyers want different things. Successful staging involves choosing the most important elements and changing them if they need it and highlighting them if they do not.
Check Your Lighting
The best lighting will depend on several factors including the time of year, the colors in any given room, and the light source. The bottom line is making sure that the lighting enhances rather than takes away from the look of the room, whether you’re going for an airy feel with lots of natural light from open windows or a close, cozy, wintry feeling with lots of lamps. In some cases, you may want to make changes to create a specific effect. For example, mirrors can make a room lighter.
Get Outside Opinions
Have an honest friend or better yet, a realtor or even a professional stager walk through the house and tell you what they think. The problem with trying to do it on your own is that the environment is so familiar you don’t see problem areas and things that could be improved.
Banish Personal Items
Speaking of things you don’t notice, there are a few things that you need to put out of sight when you have walk-throughs. This includes personal items such as soap, toothpaste and cleaning supplies. Most experts also suggest putting away family photos. You want people looking at the house, not your photos, and they tend to be distracting.
Think About Color
Many people recommend sticking to neutral colors when it’s time to sell the house, but you might want to modify this advice depending on what your condo looks like and who your buyers are likely to be. Neutral colors can look drab and impersonal, and you want your visitors to experience your home as a place they’d like live in and not a hotel room. Furthermore, splashes of color or other creativity may attract buyers if your area tends to be a young, hip one.
Don’t Go Overboard
It’s important to remember that a little color or creativity goes a long way. There are a few reasons for this. One is that it can be hard to predict others’ tastes, but another is that, like family photos, too much of your personal style can make it difficult for buyers to envision the place as “theirs.”
Fix the Kitchen
Along with the bathroom, the kitchen seems to be a place many prospective buyers fixate on. Outdated appliances or cabinets can make these areas look undesirable, and it may be worth it to replace them before putting the condo on the market.
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