Increasing your ‘screen appeal’

Before listing your house, you need to view it through the eyes of your potential buyer. The first thing folks do is look at pictures of a listing and that first impression can make or break their decision to look further. Your entire house needs to be ready for its closeup.

The first step is to clean your home. Make sure to eliminate all clutter and give every room a good tidy. Professional cleaning is a good option here. It’s also important to make sure the outside of your home is clean. It has to have “curb appeal.” Your hard should look health and your lawn well mowed and it wouldn’t hurt to plant some colorful annuals while you’re at it.

Staging your space will increase buyer interest. Everyone wants to be able to see themselves in their new home. Keeping your best couches, tables and décor in place allows them to imagine themselves there. Staging can add an emotional dimension that could result in the buyer willing to pay more. It can also be used to hide flaws or accentuate a room’s good qualities. To broaden your appeal, use furniture and décor that’s versatile and never goes out of style.

Virtual staging is an option if you don’t have furniture and décor that fits the bill. With today’s technology, we can photoshop any empty home into a “full house.” You can add items or edit the way yours looks. Virtual staging is mostly done in 2D, but it can even be done in 3D.

When taking photos of your home, using high-quality camera works to your advantage. Seeking professional help is an option here, too, as there are several companies that will take high-quality photos of your home as well as virtually stage it and create virtual tours for you.

Nowadays, buyers often look up a home online before they visit it in person. You need to put your best virtual foot forward to attract the maximum amount of interest. Remember, first impressions always count in real estate!

To contact me, call 708-583-8300, email gz@zerillorealty.com or visit www.zerillorealty.com.