As Realtors, Eric and I know firsthand that preparing a home for sale can be overwhelming at times. Whether planning to sell in one month or five years, there are always little things you can do to make your home more appealing to buyers.
Take for example this living room. A cozy spot just screaming with potential…
Ready for the game plan? Here we go…
1. Freshen up with paint. We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again. The quickest, and most likely least expensive, way to change the look of any room is to get down and dirty with a paint brush. For this room, I would love to see a warm, neutral color on the walls.
The fireplace is looking a bit charred in places and a coat of white paint would not only make the room feel fresh and clean but larger as well.
While we have our paint cans out, let’s cruise on over to the fantastic built ins. By painting the wall behind the shelves one shade darker than the rest of the walls, we’ll add visual interest and draw the eye to this area.
All paint colors above by Valspar.
2. When selling a home, take the TV down from the mantle. Not only can you use this space to cozy up a room with a great mirror or piece of art, like the mirror and flat wood shelf shown above from Target, but in many instances when a TV is mounted to the wall, it then becomes a ”fixture” and a buyer may get the impression that the TV comes with the house. Go ahead and avoid a sticky situation in advance and find a temporary spot for the tube.
3. Declutter, declutter, and declutter again. To make a room feel as open as possible, take a look around and do your best to eliminate unnecessary objects taking up valuable square footage. The speakers in this room provide an excellent example of distracting space fillers. Go ahead and pack these babies up until you get settled in the new place.
4. Last but not least, cut down on personal items. While you want guests to admire photos of your recent family vacation, you want buyers to envision themselves living in your home. This can be difficult when photos of the current residents on their wedding day are scattered about. Use shelves and built ins to display a few decorative items such as books, vases and other home accents.
A few extras never hurt anyone…
With just a few sprucing steps, this living room is primed and ready for a speedy sale at a higher price.
-Cara
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And all through the house. 
Thank you to everyone who entered the Holiday Giveaway: Part Trois for Nate Berkus’s inspiration packed book, Home Rules. We always love reading your comments. 
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