Contributed by Stephanie Henry, Senior Real Estate Specialist
Why should you consider staging your home before selling? Because you may need to sell your home. Why? As we age we are faced with how much more work it is to maintain a house, plus the lawn and gardens. Some of us have aches and pains which makes it harder or prevents us from doing the maintenance. The costs of keeping a larger home with taxes, insurance, heating, and utilities may also become a financial burden year after year. When that is your reality, then it might be a good time to start looking at alternatives to your current living situation.
The Value of a Senior Real Estate Specialist & Accredited Staging Professional
Considering selling your home? A Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) with an Accredited Staging Professional Certification is a great place to start. Choose an agent that works with professionals who specialize in services to seniors. Find an agent that is dedicated to answering questions and offering solutions over many subjects that affect seniors. A Senior Real Estate Specialist is committed to making your transition a smooth one. It is amazing how much better you will feel having the right professionals in your corner.
Downsizing & Staging Your Home
Downsizing your life can be an emotional time. The work it takes to make a change can be overwhelming on your own. But you can work with an expert to guide and support you through the process, one step at a time. you will feel relieved to know someone is by your side helping you in your transition. An SRES guide can help you make a plan for marketing your home, including a plan for organizing your possessions while staging your home.
The staging process simply clears clutter and optimizes the placement of furniture, giving an inviting first impression of your homes interior. Through a professionally staged home, you are setting the scene for buyers to imagine living in your home. Pictures of staged homes show the home at its best. Statistics show that staged homes sell faster with the probability of your home garnering an increased profit.
Saving Memories
Getting started on organizing is tough. We face the dilemma of having too many possessions. This is especially true if we have lived in that same home for years or even decades. You may have grown up in a household that saved and reused items. So, we collect and store. We save our memories in lots of boxes.
How many of you have precious framed pictures of your beautiful children at all ages who are now grown-up? Then add in the grandchildren, etc. I bet these pictures fill at least one wall, maybe two? Here’s a tip. Buy a large three-ringed binder and some clear sleeves to go in it. Take the majority of those pictures off the wall and out of their respective frames. Leave a few of those picture frames if you like. The goal here is to downsize and simplify. Place the rest of those special pictures into the clear sleeves and then into the binder. The frames could go to your favorite charity. Now you will have organized pictures into an album that you can store much better. Furthermore, you will have “saved memories” in picture form to enjoy whenever you want.
Maximizing Value before Transitioning to Your New Home!
In conclusion, a Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) has lots of ideas to make your home look its best! If you are thinking about downsizing to a smaller and more manageable home or transitioning to a Retirement or Independent Living Community, contact your local professional. They can give you valuable consultation towards the sale of your home and also a plan to maximize your home’s value through staging.
Other Articles of Interest:
Downsizing for an Emptier, Fuller Life
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