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When your home is shown to potential buyers, every room is important. However, there are three types of rooms that buyers tend to pay particular attention to: kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms.

How do you make these rooms look great? Use these staging tips from professionals.

In the kitchen, make sure the stove, sink and countertops are spotless. In addition, the countertops should be clear of anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. You want to create the impression that there is a lot of counter space!

In the cupboards, refrigerator and pantry, make sure all food items are facing forward.

In the bathrooms, make sure everything is clean and uncluttered, especially around the toilet and in the cabinet under the sink. Remove personal items from the countertop. If there is a shower curtain, keep it open. Make sure that the towels match and are neatly hung on the rack.

As a rule of thumb, the more you can make the bathrooms look like those in a nice hotel, the better!

In the bedrooms, make sure the bed is neatly made, preferably with matching covers and pillowcases. Make sure that items that are stored under the bed are not sticking out enough to be seen. 

Closets should be tidy with nothing on the floor except shoes (neatly arranged). It’s okay to have a lot of clothes, as long as they are all hanging neatly. If there are non-clothing items in the closet – such as loose files and papers – store them somewhere else.

Don’t leave any clothes lying on the bed, chair or dresser, even if they are nicely folded. Don’t have anything in the laundry hamper. ​

You are probably already aware of the major things you need to do around your home to get it ready for sale. These include getting rid of clutter, doing minor repairs, and making everything clean and tidy so every room is as much of a showcase as possible.

But there are a myriad of little touch-ups you can do that you may not have thought about before… touch-ups that can make a big difference in how attractive your home looks to potential buyers.

Here are just a few:

• Paint or replace the mailbox.
• Add a couple of flowering plants to key areas, such as the dining room, living room, and just outside the front door.
• Patch up any minor cracks in the driveway and walkways. (If there is a major crack, consider getting it repaired by a professional.)
• Put out the welcome mat. Literally! If it’s not clean and completely free of stains, replace it.
• Clean your stainless steel kitchen sink using a special stainless steel cleaner and brightener. The effect will be dramatic; the sink will look like new.
• Use a special spot cleaner to lift any stains from carpeted areas.
• Replace plain or out-of-style light fixtures in the main areas of your home, such as the hallway and living room. Without spending a fortune, you can make a big difference in how these areas look.
• Consider replacing the hardware on the doors and drawers of old kitchen cabinetry. That, along with some touch-up paint or varnish on worn areas, can make your older kitchen look young again.

These simple ideas can have a big impact on first impressions, yet they don’t cost much to implement, and you can probably do most of them in less than a day.

Obviously, when you’re searching for a new home, you want to find one that is ideal. It should be your next dream home. However, sometimes it pays to consider at least some properties that don’t meet all your criteria. After all, you never know whether one of them is actually your next dream home – in disguise!

Say you’re looking for a home with a beautiful kitchen – the kind you envy on TV cooking shows. Then, you view a property that has everything you need – except that big kitchen.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Can you fix it?
Perhaps some redecorating or a renovation can turn that so-so kitchen into one you’ve always wanted. Take some time to imagine the possibilities.

2. Can you live with it?
The kitchen might not have everything you want. It may be smaller than you’d hoped. But, can you make it work? Can you compromise a little given that the home has so many of the other features you want? Perhaps you can live with a smaller kitchen – that still looks great.

The last thing you need after a long moving day is to discover that a valuable item was damaged. That’s certain to dampen your spirits when you’re just getting settled into your new home. Here are some packing tips to help ensure that doesn’t happen:

• Avoid worn-out or damaged boxes as they are more likely to tear open during a move.
• Pack glass and similar items in bubble wrap or foam chips – but not too tightly. Include just enough to ensure there’s no rattling.
• Use small boxes for heavier items. A big box of books is difficult to lift. (Experts say a box shouldn’t weigh more than 50 lbs.)
• Use anti-static packing materials for sensitive electronics, such as computers, cameras, and flash-drives.
• Purchase specialty packaging for items such as dishes, musical instruments, and valuable clothing. It’s worth the investment.
• Don’t pack a box so full that there’s a bulge.
• Wind and tie electrical cords.

Finally, if possible, personally carry irreplaceable items (such as family photographs) with you to your new home.

Ask any good salesperson for an effective selling technique and they’ll probably say something like, “Understand the buyer. Try to figure out what they’re thinking.”

That’s good advice for you to consider when you’re putting your home up for sale. You need to imagine what a buyer might be thinking while viewing your property, so you can prepare your home more effectively for that sale.

Here are some things buyers may be wondering:

• Is this the type of home we’re looking for? Does it have the ideal number of bedrooms, etc.?
• Are the rooms spacious enough for our needs?
• Are there any repairs or other maintenance issues that need to be addressed?
• How old is the property? Is there anything major, such as a furnace, that will need to be replaced soon?
• What is the community like? Will we be happy living in this area? Is it safe?
• Is this home going to fit our lifestyle? Is there an area for the kids to play? Is there ample room for entertaining? Is the dining room large enough for dinner with family and relatives?

Of course, these are only a few of the many questions a buyer may have while viewing your home.

The more you can anticipate these questions and prepare your home accordingly, the better the chances that you’ll sell it quickly and for a good price.

For example, remember that clutter will make a room appear smaller. So, make sure to de-clutter your home – especially the smaller spaces and cupboards.

If your house is in a desirable community, create a list of area features (i.e. local parks, access to public transit, walking paths, etc.) to help buyers appreciate the value of living there.

Basically, when you’re preparing your home for sale, think like a prospective buyer!

Some home buyers consider purchasing a home that is less expensive but farther away from work. In particular, people who work in an urban area sometimes consider living outside the city, where housing costs a little less.

Is that a good option? It depends, to some extent, on the cost of commuting.

People often underestimate commuting expenses when they consider buying in a particular area. Knowing these costs is important if you want to make a smart, informed decision.

For example, there are many expenses associated with a 45-minute commute to work: gas, wear and tear on the vehicle, insurance, parking, etc. There’s also value to the lost time – almost seven hours a week spent in the car.

If you find a home that you love, and have considered the commuting time and expenses, you might find that it makes sense to purchase a home in the suburbs. Lots of people commute and find ways to make the experience pleasant.

As with all aspects of a home purchase, having all the information is key. So, make sure you know the true cost of commuting so you can make the right decision for you and your family.

When is it a good time to sell your property and buy another home? Whenever there’s a good reason to do so! There are many things that may motivate you to consider making a move.

For example:

• Your current home no longer meets your needs. You may have more space than you need or you might be looking for a larger home to accommodate a growing family.
• You’re looking for features your current property can’t accommodate. For example, you might want to install a pool but don’t have the backyard space or you might want a larger living room for entertaining but don’t have room for a renovation.
• You want to live in a more desirable community. This is one of the most common motivators since the area you live in has a huge impact on your lifestyle.
• You want to move closer to work, school, family, shopping, theater, etc.
• You’re simply bored of your current property and are ready for a change.

Whatever your reasons, if you’re thinking of looking for a new home – even if you haven’t made a firm decision yet – we should talk.

The last thing you want to experience after purchasing a home is “buyer’s regret”. That’s the sinking feeling you get when you realize, days or weeks later, that you may have made the wrong decision.

Say, for example, you bought a home based on your first impressions. When you viewed it, you thought it was just perfect. Then, a few weeks after you moved in, you discovered that the bedrooms are smaller than you had originally thought and the street is loud and busy. That wouldn’t be a very good feeling!

That’s why it’s important to become a savvy home viewer. When you visit a property for sale, you need to move past your first impressions and take a comprehensive look at the property and the neighborhood. That way, there won’t be any unpleasant surprises later on.

Here are some tips on how to do just that:

• Take the time to carefully view each room, including closets and storage areas.
• Make sure you have measurements of all the rooms.
• Imagine yourself living in the home. Where will you have dinner? How will your furniture look? What is it going to be like to travel to work and school each day? Where will your kids play?
• Get a professional home inspection. Then, make sure you read and understand the report.
• Understand and get estimates for any maintenance and repair issues, such as required bathroom upgrades or roof shingles that need replacement.
• Walk in the community and get a clear sense of what it’s going to be like to live there.
• Carefully consider any negative issues before telling yourself, “I can live with this.”