The KitchenAccording to Heidi Meyer, founder of Home Highlights in Madison, Wis., the kitchen is the heart of the home, so make the investment to update an old kitchen. “If the room is dated, update it with new cabinet hardware or paint it,” she advises. That will give it a more open, clean look.Marshall suggests clearing off the counter as much as possible. “Try not to have the coffee maker, mixer, and toaster all out at the same time or people will think there’s not enough room for everything,” he says.
Decorate simply, using just a couple of cookbooks, says Russell, or fill a pretty bowl with lemons or green apples and put it on the counter or a sideboard.Matzke advises cleaning wood cabinets with degreasers and then applying orange oil. “Let the oil soak in a couple of hours, then wipe it off,” Matzke says. “It makes the cabinets look brand new. Clean the inside of the stove and refrigerator, and shine the counter tops, sinks, and faucets.” When a kitchen is spic-and-span, buyers will focus on how great it looks rather than how small it is.
The BedroomThe biggest no-no in the master bedroom is having a television set in the room, Russell says. “It’s not as important in the guest room or kids’ rooms, but you want to create a soft, romantic, relaxing space in the master bedroom,” she says. A television also adds more clutter to the bedroom and can potentially make a small room look more crowded. Neutral colors on the wall and on the bed open up the room. “No busy wallpaper, which makes the room smaller,” Russell says. “Get new bedding in light colors, and use throw pillows on the bed.”
Meyer says to make sure all signs of your daily life -- like ironing boards, laundry baskets, and clothes thrown on chairs -- are put away. “Seeing things like that says to a buyer that you don’t have enough space in the closets,” she says.
The BathroomRussell says bathroom shower curtains aren’t always to everyone’s taste, so pull the curtains back to maximize the view of the tub, which is what people want to see anyway. If your eyes can see all the way to the back of the tub instead of stopping at the shower curtains, the bathroom will appear bigger to buyers. If you don’t have glass shower doors, choose a light-colored or transparent shower curtain to make the room brighter and seem larger.
“Clear off all the counters,” Russell says. And for ambiance, you can “put out some fragrant candles, but don’t light them, unless it’s for an open house. Have some nice, colored soap in the dish, and use fresh flowers or live plants.”
If the bathroom is in an upscale property, put a champagne bucket with glasses, or silver-backed mirrors and brushes on the counter to create a feeling of luxury, suggests Marshall. “It’s not something you’d do in a $300,000 condo, but it’d be appropriate for a $3 million house,” he says.“No covers on the toilet seat or rugs around the toilet,” Pulse adds. “Make sure all the light bulbs are working, and are the same wattage.”
Putting the Best Face ForwardIt’s understandable for some sellers to be resistant to removing sentimental family photos or changing their favorite decorations before putting their homes on the market. However, if the items in question contribute to the rooms looking smaller and more cluttered -- and ultimately distracting potential buyers from seeing themselves living there -- then removing or changing the décor is the best bet to a quick sell.
By: Dinah Eng, www.realtor.org