Junkie

I admit it. I am a “home improvement” junkie. Not that I actually do home improvements, but rather watch home improvement shows like Design on a Dime, Designed to Sell, Color Splash, Toolbelt Diva, Holmes on Homes, etc. There are so many shows, it would be to cumbersome to list them all. The other day I was watching Designed to Sell. Now this is a show where people have put their house on the market, and for some reason, they are not getting offers. So, this woman and her daughter gladly show up at the house in question and proceed to tell the owners things they can do to expedite the sale of their home. Interestingly enough, most of the fixes involve the removal of most personal items like pictures, refrigerator magnets and snow globes. Then remove all clutter. You just can’t expect to sell your house if you have old magazines on top of the toilet tank. One of the sayings the mother and daughter team often use is: Buyers want to see square footage, they want to be able to picture their belongings in the house. If you have too much clutter is says to the buyer that there isn’t enough storage. Wonder why it doesn’t say that the owner is a pack rat? Another recommendation involves painting walls a neutral color. So, if you happen to have any color on your walls that isn’t some shade of brown, you might as well go take the “For Sale” sign down. And don’t forget curb appeal, if your front yard looks like it belongs to the Munsters, you are in big trouble and it’s a miracle that no one has called the garden police (that’s another home improvement show). Woe be to the owner who has pets, no matter what kind, you have to get rid of them too, at least when showing the house. Oh, and if you have children, get rid of them too. Oops, I mean get rid of their toys, or most of them. And then last, but certainly not least, you must bake something when showing your house, so that the aroma wafting through the house will further entice buyers. I guess you could go pick up a Sara Lee coffee cake if you don’t know how to bake.

So there you have it. Tips for selling your home in a timely manner. Just tune in to Designed to Sell if you need more information. And call me when the coffee cake is ready!