Prepping & Selling a Home

Thinking about selling your home next year? Here are a few things to get a head start on! *Bonus* Work on your “to-do’s” now to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor through the winter months.

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1. Select Your Realtor. Doing so well in advance means you’ll have access to all their tricks of the trade before the holidays. See #3 below to understand the benefit of this valuable advice. Since the market is ever changing, you’ll want want a professional monitoring your neighborhood’s inventory for you so don’t miss a great opportunity between now and your target list date. Timing can be everything!

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2. Do Your Homework. Whether your goal is to sell quickly and/or to sell for top dollar, your Realtor should give you a list of to-do’s to truly make your home shine. Typically, these things don’t cost much money, but they do take time. Since it’s so important that you put your best foot forward from the very beginning, give yourself plenty of time to complete these items before your home hits the market. First impressions are crucial, and once a buyer has already toured your home and said “No Thanks”, chances are slim that they’ll come back once you complete that (fill in the blank)  project.

3. Why Wait? Spruce Up Now! I recently received the best (accidental) advice from a client after helping her family stage their home. Astonished at the huge impact that our simple suggestions made, she wondered why they hadn’t taken on these small projects sooner to enjoy it themselves. My takeaway? Act as if you’re selling your home tomorrow. Spend the time to see your space through a buyer’s eyes & make the changes now. If you’re going to invest the time at some point for a future sale, why not get a head start so you can enjoy it yourself?

4. Call The Professionals. Will you have projects for professional contractors? Catch them during this slower season to ensure timely completion. Great contractors can book out several weeks (or months) depending upon the size of your project and the season.

Listing your Madison WI Area Home? Net more with Roost Realty! We’ll market your home with style, vision and boundless energy. Looking to buy a Madison WI Area Home? Let us be your property matchmakers! We’ll get you in the community, lifestyle and home of your dreams – because we know a home is so much more than a house.

Spruce Up! Designer Home Decorating Tips

Did you know that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged house will sell, on average, 17% higher than an empty or unstaged house? Did you know that an investment of 1-3% of the asking price results in an 8-10% return, according to the National Association of Realtors? Well you do now! So what can you do with this vital yet somewhat overwhelming piece of information? Check out our blog series where we discussed home staging tips and tricks with one of Madison’s most creative interior designers, Katie Rusch!

Part 1: Home Staging: Expert Q&A Part 2: Home Staging: Common Mistakes & Success Stories Part 3: Home Staging: 10 Commandments Part 4: Home Staging on a Budget

Declutter! You'll Be Glad You Did

Decluttering is a topic we here at Roost think about often (see here, here and here). And it’s no wonder! Whether preparing to be a home seller or gearing up to simplify your space, eliminating extra stuff can be hard. When items feel too valuable to donate, not only is it time consuming to sell them (determining value, taking photos, marketing, etc.), but it can also be emotional. Recently, I decided to take the plunge and liquidate my collection of mid century modern goodies. The first to go was my most prized treasure, a beautiful pair of mid century sofas. It was kind of like losing a family member. That said, they’d been in my garage for months, so it was time to find them a new, loving home.

As listing agents, we take great pride in our work. This work includes (on top of many things) staging, which is just one of the ways we maximize client profit. This process of decluttering opened my eyes to what our clients may feel as we walk through their homes identifying possessions that must go (or get packed up) in order to make buyers swoon. You may ask: Is it really worth it? You bet. It’s just another reason why our listings sell 2% higher than the average listing.

Starting with the sofas was like ripping off a bandage; painful at first, but soon enough it was like it never happened. The end result felt great; less can be more! If you’re preparing to sell your home, here are a few simple ways to declutter, inspired by the folks at becomingminimalist.com:

1. Make it manageable. Give away just one item each day, every day. This will create momentum without overwhelming you away from getting started.
2. Turn it into a game. See how quickly you can find 10 items to toss, 10 items to donate and 10 items to put back where they should go. Enlist your family members to play!
3. See your home in a new light. We develop a blindness to our everyday surroundings. Take photos and evaluate your space objectively or invite someone new over to get their two cents. Simply preparing for their visit may spark changes!