Home Staging is a done thing when you are putting your house up for sale. No doubt every room in the house should be tended to with great care but what with the kitchens taking a lead in surveys as a big decision maker when purchasing a home, it’s only logical to give it the extra touch.
A kitchen as we all know is where the family usually gathers around for some good old lend-a-helping-hand, where drawings of children are put up, where bills are paid and generally just where the family spends a large amount of time in. When you’re selling your house, make sure that the kitchen is the deal maker. Spruce up, tidy up and de-clutter to tempt the prospective buyer.
Making the kitchen look spacious is very important. Even if your kitchen isn’t large, just getting rid of unnecessary items (clutter) and bulky furniture might do the trick. De-clutter means leaving the counter tops clean (not necessarily bare) and stowing away appliances and items you never use.
To de-clutter doesn’t mean you stuff things in your cabinet. Prospective buyers are going to open them out. They want to see how much space is there to store their clutter. If your cabinets are going to look crammed, they might not be too happy. So go through your items – vessels and appliances you use once a year can be packed away and put into storage.
If there’s an area in your house you are considering spending some money on- try your kitchen. Repainting before selling is a good start. A fresh coat of (neutral and subtle shade) paint could give the kitchen a bright and clear look. If your countertops are looking washed out and grungy, its time to invest in some decent tile for them. See if the sink is in good condition and if it needs to be replaced. Likewise your faucets and the plumbing should be well-maintained and functioning properly.
Now back to the non-spending tips for tidying up. If your kitchen leads out into an open area, don’t hide this space with blinds when prospective buyers come over. Clean out that outside area and let it add grace to the kitchen. Open out your windows to bring in as much light as possible. But if your kitchen is slightly dark or you’re showing the house in winter, turn on the lights inside to impress. But take care to not overdo the lighting; it has to complement the environment. Lots of natural light and good ventilation is highly recommended.
Make sure all appliances are working and not falling apart. Move out the kitty/ doggy tray out of sight. Conceal liquor bottles (if any) as this may not give an entirely good impression. Put some flower in a vase or place a small potted plant in the kitchen. More so if you have a desk that you place your computer on or usually just work at, clean it but leave it intact. Your buyers need to know how multi-functional your kitchen can get.
Very importantly, keep your kitchen free of nasty odors. But for a good impact, the smell of baking cookies or apple pie wafting from your kitchen is a good idea on the day of showing your house.
Just put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and see if it looks like a kitchen you would want to return to at all odd hours of the day and night. That should help you just as much as the pointers above should. So go spruce up the kitchen to clinch that deal!
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