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  • February 2, 2009 at 2:49 PM #14959
    sc_alum
    Participant

    A follow-on to my Lockbox or Appointment post…

    So it seems I’ll be going with the Lockbox approach.

    Is it better to show the house empty (i.e. have the movers come and take it all away, THEN list it), or show it before we move? I can see pros and cons.

    We have nice furniture that complements our house well, and shows the space better than empty would… BUT if we move it all, then we don’t have to worry about pulling down our “clutter” (pictures, “stuff”, clothes in closets, etc). I also wouldn’t worry as much about the lockbox.

    I suppose there’s the “desperate” look if our stuff’s already gone…

    February 2, 2009 at 4:17 PM #340082
    UCGal
    Participant

    strictly an anectdotal observation based on friends who’ve sold..

    Move about 90% of your stuff to storage. Have the barest minimum to “stage” the house, and live in it as a staged house.

    All personal photos, kids toys, any art work that isn’t 100% bland… take it out. Take out 1/2 of the furniture to make it look more spacious. Make sure nothing is on the kitchen counter. Even hide the toothbrushes and other stuff that ends up on bathroom counters.

    It’s a pain, but it’s worked for friends.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:17 PM #340625
    UCGal
    Participant

    strictly an anectdotal observation based on friends who’ve sold..

    Move about 90% of your stuff to storage. Have the barest minimum to “stage” the house, and live in it as a staged house.

    All personal photos, kids toys, any art work that isn’t 100% bland… take it out. Take out 1/2 of the furniture to make it look more spacious. Make sure nothing is on the kitchen counter. Even hide the toothbrushes and other stuff that ends up on bathroom counters.

    It’s a pain, but it’s worked for friends.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:17 PM #340406
    UCGal
    Participant

    strictly an anectdotal observation based on friends who’ve sold..

    Move about 90% of your stuff to storage. Have the barest minimum to “stage” the house, and live in it as a staged house.

    All personal photos, kids toys, any art work that isn’t 100% bland… take it out. Take out 1/2 of the furniture to make it look more spacious. Make sure nothing is on the kitchen counter. Even hide the toothbrushes and other stuff that ends up on bathroom counters.

    It’s a pain, but it’s worked for friends.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:17 PM #340533
    UCGal
    Participant

    strictly an anectdotal observation based on friends who’ve sold..

    Move about 90% of your stuff to storage. Have the barest minimum to “stage” the house, and live in it as a staged house.

    All personal photos, kids toys, any art work that isn’t 100% bland… take it out. Take out 1/2 of the furniture to make it look more spacious. Make sure nothing is on the kitchen counter. Even hide the toothbrushes and other stuff that ends up on bathroom counters.

    It’s a pain, but it’s worked for friends.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:17 PM #340504
    UCGal
    Participant

    strictly an anectdotal observation based on friends who’ve sold..

    Move about 90% of your stuff to storage. Have the barest minimum to “stage” the house, and live in it as a staged house.

    All personal photos, kids toys, any art work that isn’t 100% bland… take it out. Take out 1/2 of the furniture to make it look more spacious. Make sure nothing is on the kitchen counter. Even hide the toothbrushes and other stuff that ends up on bathroom counters.

    It’s a pain, but it’s worked for friends.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:56 PM #340108
    Scarlett
    Participant

    I second UCGal. When I put my house for sale in late summer 2007 in RB, that is what we did. That was when the selling in our area almost came to a screeching halt. We managed to sell within a month though, and got a very good price.

    We moved almost everything non-furniture from all the rooms, and emptied the smaller bedrooms of furniture too. Part we put in storage, part we moved in a rental (that’s another story) – depends on your future plans. We left stuff in the garage cabinets (not in the garage), because it doesn’t matter there. It’s essential to keep major pieces of furniture in living/family/dining/master bdr – as you said – they show the space better, and give ideas to the buyers about how their own furniture might fit in.

    You really have to look at it from strictly a esthetic/showing point of view. Think model homes. Remove anything that’s not classic or neutral, as it may not appeal to many buyers. Tuck evertything in cabinets, but only if you can do that in a neat and non-cluttered fashion – otherwise pack it away and put it in storage. Pack away all the knick-knacks and personal photos. Be extra-neat, even in the closets and cabinets. Closets should be half empty at best.
    The kitchen counters should be empty except for a handful of clean neat appliances that you really need. Bathroooms, nicer neatly folded towels and arrange something hotel-style – cute lil’ baskets with toiletries – and if you can’t do that, leave only the soap and maybe a lotion bottle and a tissue box on the counter. The least distraction to the eye.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:56 PM #340650
    Scarlett
    Participant

    I second UCGal. When I put my house for sale in late summer 2007 in RB, that is what we did. That was when the selling in our area almost came to a screeching halt. We managed to sell within a month though, and got a very good price.

    We moved almost everything non-furniture from all the rooms, and emptied the smaller bedrooms of furniture too. Part we put in storage, part we moved in a rental (that’s another story) – depends on your future plans. We left stuff in the garage cabinets (not in the garage), because it doesn’t matter there. It’s essential to keep major pieces of furniture in living/family/dining/master bdr – as you said – they show the space better, and give ideas to the buyers about how their own furniture might fit in.

    You really have to look at it from strictly a esthetic/showing point of view. Think model homes. Remove anything that’s not classic or neutral, as it may not appeal to many buyers. Tuck evertything in cabinets, but only if you can do that in a neat and non-cluttered fashion – otherwise pack it away and put it in storage. Pack away all the knick-knacks and personal photos. Be extra-neat, even in the closets and cabinets. Closets should be half empty at best.
    The kitchen counters should be empty except for a handful of clean neat appliances that you really need. Bathroooms, nicer neatly folded towels and arrange something hotel-style – cute lil’ baskets with toiletries – and if you can’t do that, leave only the soap and maybe a lotion bottle and a tissue box on the counter. The least distraction to the eye.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:56 PM #340432
    Scarlett
    Participant

    I second UCGal. When I put my house for sale in late summer 2007 in RB, that is what we did. That was when the selling in our area almost came to a screeching halt. We managed to sell within a month though, and got a very good price.

    We moved almost everything non-furniture from all the rooms, and emptied the smaller bedrooms of furniture too. Part we put in storage, part we moved in a rental (that’s another story) – depends on your future plans. We left stuff in the garage cabinets (not in the garage), because it doesn’t matter there. It’s essential to keep major pieces of furniture in living/family/dining/master bdr – as you said – they show the space better, and give ideas to the buyers about how their own furniture might fit in.

    You really have to look at it from strictly a esthetic/showing point of view. Think model homes. Remove anything that’s not classic or neutral, as it may not appeal to many buyers. Tuck evertything in cabinets, but only if you can do that in a neat and non-cluttered fashion – otherwise pack it away and put it in storage. Pack away all the knick-knacks and personal photos. Be extra-neat, even in the closets and cabinets. Closets should be half empty at best.
    The kitchen counters should be empty except for a handful of clean neat appliances that you really need. Bathroooms, nicer neatly folded towels and arrange something hotel-style – cute lil’ baskets with toiletries – and if you can’t do that, leave only the soap and maybe a lotion bottle and a tissue box on the counter. The least distraction to the eye.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:56 PM #340558
    Scarlett
    Participant

    I second UCGal. When I put my house for sale in late summer 2007 in RB, that is what we did. That was when the selling in our area almost came to a screeching halt. We managed to sell within a month though, and got a very good price.

    We moved almost everything non-furniture from all the rooms, and emptied the smaller bedrooms of furniture too. Part we put in storage, part we moved in a rental (that’s another story) – depends on your future plans. We left stuff in the garage cabinets (not in the garage), because it doesn’t matter there. It’s essential to keep major pieces of furniture in living/family/dining/master bdr – as you said – they show the space better, and give ideas to the buyers about how their own furniture might fit in.

    You really have to look at it from strictly a esthetic/showing point of view. Think model homes. Remove anything that’s not classic or neutral, as it may not appeal to many buyers. Tuck evertything in cabinets, but only if you can do that in a neat and non-cluttered fashion – otherwise pack it away and put it in storage. Pack away all the knick-knacks and personal photos. Be extra-neat, even in the closets and cabinets. Closets should be half empty at best.
    The kitchen counters should be empty except for a handful of clean neat appliances that you really need. Bathroooms, nicer neatly folded towels and arrange something hotel-style – cute lil’ baskets with toiletries – and if you can’t do that, leave only the soap and maybe a lotion bottle and a tissue box on the counter. The least distraction to the eye.

    February 2, 2009 at 4:56 PM #340529
    Scarlett
    Participant

    I second UCGal. When I put my house for sale in late summer 2007 in RB, that is what we did. That was when the selling in our area almost came to a screeching halt. We managed to sell within a month though, and got a very good price.

    We moved almost everything non-furniture from all the rooms, and emptied the smaller bedrooms of furniture too. Part we put in storage, part we moved in a rental (that’s another story) – depends on your future plans. We left stuff in the garage cabinets (not in the garage), because it doesn’t matter there. It’s essential to keep major pieces of furniture in living/family/dining/master bdr – as you said – they show the space better, and give ideas to the buyers about how their own furniture might fit in.

    You really have to look at it from strictly a esthetic/showing point of view. Think model homes. Remove anything that’s not classic or neutral, as it may not appeal to many buyers. Tuck evertything in cabinets, but only if you can do that in a neat and non-cluttered fashion – otherwise pack it away and put it in storage. Pack away all the knick-knacks and personal photos. Be extra-neat, even in the closets and cabinets. Closets should be half empty at best.
    The kitchen counters should be empty except for a handful of clean neat appliances that you really need. Bathroooms, nicer neatly folded towels and arrange something hotel-style – cute lil’ baskets with toiletries – and if you can’t do that, leave only the soap and maybe a lotion bottle and a tissue box on the counter. The least distraction to the eye.

    February 2, 2009 at 5:09 PM #340563
    Scarlett
    Participant

    If you continue to live in there, adopt the style that you are living from a suitcase(s) in a hotel and really only have in your house that much PERSONAL stuff which you can pack within an hour in a couple of suitcases. (that doesn’t include kitchen stuff, linens, furnishing, electronics, supplies, food, tools, etc.)

    It’s amazing how much you can empty your house and still live very comfortably in it, believe me. In fact, you will probably like it much better that way. It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulate, we could live without, or stored away…

    February 2, 2009 at 5:09 PM #340655
    Scarlett
    Participant

    If you continue to live in there, adopt the style that you are living from a suitcase(s) in a hotel and really only have in your house that much PERSONAL stuff which you can pack within an hour in a couple of suitcases. (that doesn’t include kitchen stuff, linens, furnishing, electronics, supplies, food, tools, etc.)

    It’s amazing how much you can empty your house and still live very comfortably in it, believe me. In fact, you will probably like it much better that way. It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulate, we could live without, or stored away…

    February 2, 2009 at 5:09 PM #340534
    Scarlett
    Participant

    If you continue to live in there, adopt the style that you are living from a suitcase(s) in a hotel and really only have in your house that much PERSONAL stuff which you can pack within an hour in a couple of suitcases. (that doesn’t include kitchen stuff, linens, furnishing, electronics, supplies, food, tools, etc.)

    It’s amazing how much you can empty your house and still live very comfortably in it, believe me. In fact, you will probably like it much better that way. It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulate, we could live without, or stored away…

    February 2, 2009 at 5:09 PM #340436
    Scarlett
    Participant

    If you continue to live in there, adopt the style that you are living from a suitcase(s) in a hotel and really only have in your house that much PERSONAL stuff which you can pack within an hour in a couple of suitcases. (that doesn’t include kitchen stuff, linens, furnishing, electronics, supplies, food, tools, etc.)

    It’s amazing how much you can empty your house and still live very comfortably in it, believe me. In fact, you will probably like it much better that way. It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulate, we could live without, or stored away…

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