Jill Vegas
Mann Report: May 2008
Refresh Your Home For Spring
By Jill Vegas
Jill Vegas LLC
"It's spring fever… You don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"
--Mark Twain
Mark Twain could always be counted on for evoking feelings. But in this case, we know what we want. We've got Spring Fever, and we want to sell, sell, and sell for above market value!
When it comes to the real estate market, Spring is the time to do your cleaning. I know you want to go frolic outdoors, but it's time to get things spiffy inside.
Recently a client called Jill Vegas LLC because their property wasn't selling. It had been on the market for more than a year with zero offers. During the initial consult we toured the property with the owners to evaluate each room with "buyers eyes" — in other words, we looked at the property the way potential buyers would do so.
The home owners quickly realized that the scuffed up walls, random leftover furnishings and accessories (they'd moved out a year ago) were not making a great impression. They felt turned off just looking at the stuff, even though it was their own.
The solution was to get to work. First, we tackled the cleaning —getting rid of a threadbare rug, a tired sofa, photos, toys and removing all the leftover items in the kitchen. We completely cleared out the junk from all the built-ins — old mail, notebooks and even food. After the cleaning and de-cluttering was accomplished, we brought in some splashes of color with a fresh coat of paint. The color palette revived the dirty walls and gave the property a feeling of simple opulence. It made the entire place feel alive with personality.
With a clean palette to work off of, we brought in classic, beautiful furniture and designed a dreamy living room. The throw pillows and accessories added punchy, fun accents to create a homey and inviting living room.
Here are some simple ways to revive you property so that it sells for maximum price:
First: Clean. Walk through your property as we did, with "buyers eyes." Look for anything that catches the eye as old, musty, dirty or dusty. Shine those things, including walls and cabinets.
Next: Declutter. Remove anything that qualifies as clutter, anything that's not beautiful. There might be that extra shelf you used to stack magazines and correspondence. Throw out what you can and store the rest in neatly marked boxes. Look for items that you could sell, give away or store. You might love it, but the buyer won't. When it comes to Spring cleaning, remember this mantra: Less is more.
Finally: Add color. Working off your clean and decluttered space, you can now add some color. Pick something bright and fun that matches your décor. Paint a wall, or, perhaps, buy a painting to hang on a wall. Buy some bright pillows to throw on your couch or bed. New and colorful are wonderful accents for spring home selling.