When preparing your home for sale, one element that can undermine your efforts and ambitions of a successful sale is dated furniture.
Buyers are definitely focused on the core elements of your home – such as available space, the number of bedrooms and location – but they can be distracted.
Clutter, bold color schemes, worn carpets and oversized or shabby furniture are factors that will leave a poor impression no matter how hard you have tried to prepare your home for sale.
It’s worth eliminating these negatives because well-presented homes will always find a buyer at a fair market price.
If you’re unsure about your furniture, you should consult with a trusted real estate agent to gain their impression of how you might dress the property to maximize its value. I’d be delighted to assist you.
A favorite strategy for sellers looking to find buyers quickly at a strong price-point is to “stage” your home. This process involves engaging a professional company to hire furniture and wall art designed to put your property in the best possible light.
Of course, it means you’ll have to put some of your furniture in storage. But as you’re intending to move out anyway, that’s not really a big challenge.
I’ve listed six types of furniture that are out of fashion and should be removed before you open your home to potential buyers.
Word Art – Its moment has definitely come and gone. You should consider replacing these prints with simple landscapes, preferably ocean scenes that feature calming colors.
Brass ornaments – These have not been in fashion for years, and you should definitely remove them before we open the door for walk-throughs.
Exposed bulbs – While they had their moment for an industrial or vintage feel, their harsh glare is not popular. Lighting should be a mix of ambient glows, statement fixtures and functional lighting in kitchens and bathrooms.
Matching furniture – Current trends favor a more collected, eclectic look where furniture pieces complement each other without being identical, adding depth and personality.
Cold cuts – Buyers love warmth in a home, and so cold grays and bright whites are out. Consider where these colors might feature in your home. However, when dressing bedrooms, I recommend bright white linen to make the room feel bigger.
Vacation trophies – Knick-knacks from happy family vacations are a distraction. You should remove these so buyers can picture themselves in your home rather than feel they are visiting.