Staten Island, New York – As the real estate market in the New York metro area continues to heat up, with a national report predicting at the end of last year that sellers who have owned their homes for a while will likely walk away from a deal with good cash in 2022, some homeowners might consider in transition.
Realtor.com’s December annual housing outlook noted that “2022 will be very competitive with home sales hitting a 16-year high and trends such as workplace resilience allowing greater success for homebuyers.”
Sandy Krueger, president and CEO of the Staten Island Board of Realtors, told Advance/SILive.com at the time that he expected “a wealth of factors” affecting the local real estate space this year.
“I think 2022 will be a time for real estate professionals to show their value in helping consumers evaluate options and opportunities in the housing space,” he said, adding that many homeowners have equity in their homes, “the value of which has gone up over the past few years.”
So for those preparing to tap into the current real estate market, data journalism site Stacker researched the best ways to create a home for sale using information from Fund That Flip, which gathered tips from movers, real estate agents, and home improvement experts.
Here are 10 economical ways to organize a home for sale, according to Stacker’s analysis.
1. Use neutral colors. Buyers want to be able to see the homes they roam in as their own – they don’t want to portray the home as someone else’s space. As homeowners prepare their homes to go to the market, they should pick up some neutral paint to cover any accent walls or unusual colors. Light colors, dark gray, or off-white are the ideal colors.
2. Highlight the storage space. Most buyers will consider a home’s storage space as part of their decision-making process. Buyers want enough space to store clothes, shoes, food, holiday decorations, and more. Vendors should display cabinets and drawers by placing neatly folded clothes in baskets or boxes, using shoe racks and organizing linen closets.
Experts say the smell of fresh cookies can be very attractive to buyers. (Advanced Staten Island)Pamela Silvestri
3. Bake cookies. Buyers want to be able to picture themselves living in a home – they want it to feel right at home. And what gives a home a more warm and inviting feel than a plate of just-baked biscuits? The smell of fresh buns or a warm loaf of bread can be very attractive to buyers. Baking cookies shortly before the show — and placing them on the counter with a note for visitors to help themselves — can set your home apart from others on the market.
4. Avoid excessive display of personal taste. Organizing a home with items that cater to a certain personal taste will not appeal to all buyers, and in some cases, it can be a turn-off. This is why it is important to depersonalize the space as much as possible before including a home. Don’t choose comical décor, floral wallpaper, or portraits when organizing the home.
Mirrors can make spaces in the home appear larger, according to experts. (Dan Glitter | [email protected])
5. Use mirrors to make small rooms appear larger. Small spaces in a home don’t have to feel small – sellers just need a few mirrors to create the illusion that they are bigger than they look. Adding mirrors to an enclosed space such as a bedroom or hallway will instantly make it appear larger than it really is – attracting buyers. Place a mirror strategically near windows to bring more reflective natural light into the room, brightening up dark spaces. Adding more mirrors to a small bathroom can also help make it larger, which can be a handy trick to use in semi-baths or bathrooms with limited space.
6. Use an air mattress to organize the bed. Empty bedrooms – or bedrooms used for storage or play areas – generally do not attract buyers. To turn an empty room into a staged bedroom, buy an inexpensive air mattress and prop it up in some crates. Then simply cover the boxes with a bed skirt and cover the air mattress as you would any other bed – with a nice quilt and some pillows. Add some inexpensive end tables to the mix and some simple decor, and you’ll create a guest group that’s bound to be more attractive to buyers than a crowded storage room.
7. Coordinating color the cabinets are half empty. The best way to make closets more inviting is to leave them half full. This creates the illusion that the cabinets have more space than they actually are – and are also easier to organize. After selecting a few pieces of clothing, display them by color. This kind of neat, color-coordinated organization will help make your cabinets — or other spaces, like your cleaning supply closets — more inviting.
8. Decorate fresh flowers, plants and citrus fruits. Adding fresh flowers and plants can be a great way to add color and create a welcoming atmosphere. Hang a wreath and green plants on the door, or place vases strategically with flowers around the house. Choose to add a bowl of fresh citrus fruits on your kitchen counter or countertop to brighten up the room.
Real estate experts recommend investing in white towels when putting a home on the market. (Shawn Summers | [email protected])
9. Use white towels in bathrooms. Invest in clean white towels that can create a spa vibe, which is exactly why hotels and day spas all use crisp white towels and sheets. The same goes for shower curtains and bath rugs. Avoid decorating the bathroom with darker or lighter colors or patterns that have seen better days, and opt instead to create a brighter, cleaner feel.
10. Do not overlook the garage, basement and yard. It’s easy to focus on the main living areas of a home, but don’t neglect abstract spaces like the garage, basement, garden, driveway, and outdoor stairs. Make sure the gardens and outdoor areas don’t look overgrown, and remove old items such as barbecue grills or patio furniture that has seen better days. To show off space in a garage or basement, stack cardboard boxes and containers vertically to show how the space can be optimized for a buyer’s storage needs. In addition, these spaces will help to look more organized, which will be more attractive.