When your Realtor tells you to de-personalize your home, many sellers think that just means taking down some family photos. Although that is a great start, there are other things sellers fail to do when prepping their homes for sale.
Here are the top 8 seller fails I see and the EASY tips to fix them.
(When I tour homes with buyers, I tend to hear the same complaints and that’s how this list was compiled. Because I work equally with both buyers and sellers, I share my insight of buyers and how they tour and view homes with sellers so they can avoid these things that turn buyers off.)
VIDEO: Top 8 Seller Fails when it comes to De-Personalizing their Home for Sale
Fail #1 – Wall Art (a)
Yes, pre-pack those family photos but also don’t forget to pack up any awards, certificates, diplomas and/or accolades. Buyers are naturally curious as to who lives in this house that they are touring. Don’t distract them from what they need to do, which is to look at the space, floor plan and decide if this home will work for them. Instead, remove those distractions and replace these items with simple art pieces.
Speaking of photos, in my career of touring homes, I’ve seen way too many intimate photos in seller’s homes including too many naked body parts. Please (please!!) pack those up before listing your home.
Fail #2 – Wall Art (b)
Kids’ Names on the Wall – many homes I tour will have the kids’ bedrooms decorated with the child’s name on the wall – either in wooden block letters or peel-and-stick decals. My advice is to remove this just because it’s my opinion that strangers don’t need to know your kids’ names. Plus sellers are giving the mixed message that yes, they want to sell their home but they are still claiming this is Caleb’s room.
Quotes/Sayings – this is my own pet peeve. I’m not a fan of all these signs hanging in people’s homes. Most are funny, some are cute but even so, may not resonate with buyers and could be a turn-off. I suggest taking down all the signs and the peel-and-stick decals when listing your home.
Fail 3# – Paint Choices
Paint colors are very personal. De-personalize paint colors and stick with soft, neutral (albeit boring) colors and matte paint finishes. Builder-beige scores big with buyers.
My thoughts on chalkboard paint – I recommend to my sellers to paint over chalkboard paint as this is not going to appeal to most buyers.
Murals – same goes with murals. I know it took a lot of work and money to paint a mural but when selling, I’d suggest taking away that distraction and de-personalize the wall with a soft, subtle, solid paint color.
Fail #4 – Too many knick-knacks and collections
The good news is I don’t see too many homes with a lot of knick-knacks, but I do see sellers with collections (of anything) taking up space and distracting buyers. I’ve seen everything from mega DVD collections to boxed toy cars to an overflowing hanging hammock of stuffed animals. Continue to pre-pack these items and get ahead of moving day.
Fail #5 – Flooring
Carpet in the bathroom – just remove it. Every buyer I have ever toured with was thoroughly grossed out when a bathroom had carpet installed. This is a VERY personal item as buyers are imagining the seller’s wet feet on that carpet. Installing new vinyl planks is an easy, DIY option that sellers can do before listing.
Fail #6 – Themed Rooms
I blame HGTV for most of the trends I see in homes but luckily, theme rooms are going out of style. If you have a theme room that is more than just furniture and decor (like paint, murals, flooring, trim, etc.), my suggestion is to switch that out to more traditional choices.
For example, I toured a home where the basement was decked out like a tiki hut with bamboo trim boards, hula skirt wainscotting and a Hawaiian beach scene painted on the wall. My suggestion to de-personalize this space would be to swap out these permanent decor choices.
Fail #7 – Taxidermy Displays
Most of my buyers have reacted poorly to a seller’s collection of taxidermy. If buyers can’t appreciate the taxidermy collection, it leaves a negative impression on the buyers. I recommend packing up those things before you list your home.
Fail #8 – Furniture Placement
If you decide to work with a home stager to help you arrange your furniture, the stager will suggest a layout that may not be conducive to everyday living but is more décor and photograph-friendly.
For example, you may have all of your living room seating options facing the TV and right up against the wall. But from a décor viewpoint, the seating should be facing inward, towards each other, creating a cozy atmosphere.
When listing your home, set up your furniture for aspirational living, not necessarily for real-life living because let’s face it, real-life living isn’t pretty!
For examples of what to do, be sure to check out the VIDEO.
Prepping your home takes work and effort but you don’t have to go it alone. Call me and I have wonderful contacts I can share with you for home stagers, designers, cleaners, and professional organizers who can help get your home in show-ready condition.