1. Mentally free yourself from your home. Once you have fully committed to moving, it is crucial to dissociate from the home you will be leaving by making the mental decision to wipe clean the emotions attached to the house that will no longer be yours. This can be achieved by ridding the house of personal objects, visualizing handing over the keys to a buyer and saying goodbye to each and every room.
2. Once you’ve wiped clean your emotions, physically wipe clean the house. A dirty house will not sell; you have to impress potential buyers with a pristine product, and this includes cut grass and manicured landscape. If you don’t have the time, hire a cleaning service and/or gardener. Additionally, enlist the aid of a real estate professional to walk through the house with you to suggest any needed repairs or minor improvements.
3. Declutter. Once you have depersonalized your home, it’s time to declutter. Get rid of items that are unnecessary and that you won’t be taking with you anyway, and try to stay green by donating unwanted items instead of just throwing them in a dumpster. This task is also a great head start for the inevitable packing involved with moving.
4. Rent a storage unit. After decluttering, i.e., ridding yourself of unwanted items, it is time to store your necessary items, as homes show better with less furniture, and can stay on the market for quite some time. However, it is also imperative to leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose.
5. Ensure your home has curb appeal. The first thing a potential buyer sees as they pull up is the front of a house, and if the home does not have curb appeal, that once-potential buyer might just drive away. In addition to trimming the bushes and keeping the lawn cut and watered, planting flowers is always a good idea. Also, touching up the exterior paint never hurts. And always make sure future visitors can clearly see the house number.
From 2010-2015, Karen has been the No. 1 agent for Coldwell Banker in Fountain Hills/Scottsdale. Karen in 2001 earned membership in Coldwell Banker’s International President’s Circle and in 2013 and 2014 became a member of the International President’s Elite Circle. She is one of the most experienced agents in her area and her name is synonymous with dedication, industrious and optimistic. Because of her attention to detail, more than 80 percent of Karen’s business comes from referrals.
About Karen DeGeorge, Coldwell Banker
Karen DeGeorge is a member of the National Association of Realtors, Arizona Association of Realtors and the Scottsdale Association of Realtors. She is also a Previews Luxury Property Specialist and focuses on luxury and golf course property, new and resale homes and condos, vacation and second homes and investment properties in the Fountain Hills, Scottsdale, Cave Creek & Carefree, Paradise Valley, Mesa and Gilbert areas. For more information, please call (480) 225-3766 or visit the office at 13125 N. La Montana Blvd., Suite F, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268.
About the NALA™
The NALA offers local business owners new online advertising & small business marketing tools, great business benefits, education and money-saving programs, as well as a charity program. For media inquiries, please call 805.650.6121, ext. 361.
