Prepping an Arizona Home to Sell

Staging is a critical part of selling a home, especially with the number of homes that have been renovated over the past 10 years. That lasting impression on a buyer lets you sell a home quicker and for more money!

From state to state the impression differs, but in AZ buyers first look for the entry experience, then go straight to the kitchen, and finally to the backyard to finish it off.

Houses that have been neglected often suffer when offer time comes around. Even in a Seller’s market, buyers are not forgiving when it comes to a home’s appearance. If the home shows even a little neglect buyers most often move on to the next one or hesitate.

Buyers want a Move-In-Ready home. Whether they deserve it or not is beside the point. This is where Staging comes into the picture.

Because the market has been so strong we feel we can throw a home on the market and call it good. Maybe mow the lawn and throw a fresh coat of paint on the old place. A home was a home, right? Not really. There are old homes and new or updated homes. Homes are updating. The AZ valley is flooding with the newest trends and styles, and the buyers know the difference.

Right now it’s a sellers market, and many sellers say “I don’t have to fix a thing, and it will sell for top dollar.” There’s some truth to that but the problem isn’t that the home won’t sell. It’s in the missed opportunity.

There is a huge gap between houses with original cabinets, flooring etc, and houses that have been updated with the newest trends. We’re noticing that while the houses with 70’s linoleum are increasing monthly in equity, houses that are updated are not only selling, they are getting bid up faster and higher. 

In some cases the outdated homes are actually dropping their prices in the $400k – $800k ranges because buyers fear something is wrong with the home. In a buyer’s market the buyers can be picky because there are so many homes to choose from. Arizona homes in bad condition will get bid down quickly, and there are very few people willing to do the work to update it. In a seller’s market buyers will have to take what they can get. But in both markets, presentation makes equity. 

Whether or not you believe in the expression, “First impressions are everything,” when it comes to houses, it hits the nail on the head.  It’s curb appeal, entryway feeling, kitchen flow, and backyard space. That’s it! If you can make all 4 of these shine, you’ve got a winner, winner, chicken dinner.

If it’s impossible to make these 4 areas shine, at least make sure they don’t detract, and always start with the kitchen and backyard.

The next item is staging a home. This doesn’t have to be anything extravagant unless you are selling a million dollar home. It just means you’re helping the potential buyer to see what’s possible. A little goes a long way so don’t over do this one.

Let’s break them down:

Exterior Staging

• Clutter – Remove all knickknacks, debris and trash from the yard including garden gnomes, dead trees, lingering branches, leaves, and hoses.

• Sweep – Sweep off the driveway and walkway, and ensure any cobblestones or bricks are level.

• Grass – Make all the grassy areas green and the garden areas fresh with new mulch.  Check the grass for weeds.  Home Depot sells a fertilizer that greens the grass and kills the weeds.  It’s worth it!

• Rock – If you’re one of those lucky Arizona residents who has a gravel yard, verify that every bit of ground is covered. NO SPLOTCHES. Some areas may need a little extra rock, you can visit a local rock yard such as Pioneer Landscaping, bring a 5 gallon bucket and shovel, and fill up with your variety of gravel. Bring a sample with you in the bucket so the salesperson can match the gravel for you. After filling in the gaps, take a hard rake and sweep over all the areas to make them smooth, as if you were vacuuming the family room. This makes the gravel feel fresh and new, especially if you have some of the small gravel.  

• Bushes – Trim the bushes allowing the home to breath, and leave space between the house and the shrubs. Jungle scares buyers. This will save you time when the inspector arrives too.

• Flowers – Consider adding some flowers, even if they’re plastic.  This gives color and variety, and helps the home feel alive.

• Cement Coating – Determine if your driveway needs a seal coat if it looks old and tired. This is typically inexpensive and really simple while giving your home a new and fresh feel.

• Gutters – Clean all the gutters. If your leaves are oozing out of the eaves like a volcano the buyer feels like the home has been neglected.

• Crack Repair – Look for any holes or cracks in the stucco and trim and consider patching and repainting. These are common inspection items.

• Entryway – The entryway to your home should look magnificent! A fresh coat of paint on the front door is like magic. If the door is on its last hinge, replace it. This is your number 1 update of all updates. It’s quick, cheap, and high impact. Sweep or spray off any cobwebs and dust. Arizona is full of them.

Please remember that a home buyer will always estimate higher for making repairs than the actual cost for these updates. You will spend much less money to do these things before placing the home on the market than letting a buyer try to renegotiate after the home inspection.

Interior Staging Tips

Tips to help stage the interior of your Arizona home!

• Use the 3 C’s Rule:  Cut, Clear, and Clean.  

• Cut yourself out of the picture.  Make the home appear that you don’t live there. Remove any of your family photos, regardless of how cute they are. This allows the buyer to imagine themselves living there, sleeping, eating and playing. Once they see the family pictures they feel like they’re breaking into someone else’s home. I love when I’m showing a home and the potential buyer asks if anyone lives there. That means the owner hit a home run.  

• Clear out anything unnecessary. Remove everything except for items that help show the home. Nobody wants to see your collection of shot glasses or snow globes, no matter how cool they are. You want to make the home feel as large and uncluttered as possible. Remove old furniture, chairs, and knick knacks. You may want to consider a local storage unit. Arizona is full of them, and for a good price. If you plan to store these items in the garage just make sure it’s organized and neat.

• PODS – Another option is PODS (portable on demand storage) or a company like them. They drop off a storage unit at your home, and even pick it up and store it for you, if needed.

• Clean – Now it’s time to DEEP Clean. As we discussed earlier, the kitchen is critical. It’s one of the main 4 items buyers notice, and bathrooms are a close contender. The bathrooms and kitchen should be spotless! These areas are the most costly to upgrade so buyers will be paying close attention to detail.  

• Closets – Tidy up all the closets in your home. It’s a funny thing to worry about closet space, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen buyers turn down a home because there just wasn’t enough storage space, a symptom of cramming. It’s one of those unspoken necessities. Just make sure the closets are at least neatly organized.  

• Windows – Windows provide clarity. Because light always makes a home feel more open and happy, it’s important to make sure the windows allow the light to come through. So clean them well, and don’t forget to spray off the screens.  

• Paint – Touch up with a little paint here and there, if you can’t hire a painter. High traffic areas are usually the most readily visible. This makes a home feel clean. Make sure to give it a few days to dry and air out. Nothing says run like VOC fumes.

• Ceilings – Because we are never looking up, ceilings are always underlooked. Check for stains, ripples, and most of all – termites – those little brown tunnels that hang from the ceiling. Bleach and then paint any old ceiling stains away, especially in the bathrooms where shower water overflows.  Don’t hide it, really fix it. If it’s a roof leak, take care of it.  

• Garages – People in Arizona love their garages. Clear it out, and if you’re using it as your storage area, clean it and organize it. It will reflect on how well you took care of your home.  

• Light – In rooms where light is scarce, add some extra lighting, possibly brighter bulbs. During showings make sure all lights are on. Nobody wants to live in a dark hobbit house.

• Kitchen – Clear your kitchen counters completely of everything unless you have a nice Kitchenaid mixer. The more space you allow, the more space the buyer will feel. Buyers love spacious kitchens! Occasionally a buyer will open one of your cabinets to check the condition. Stacked dishes go a long way.