By Nan Johnston, Southern Staging & Redesign
It’s winter time and most home owners that are thinking of selling their house are not hearing what I’m about to advise.  Start preparing now!
Why, especially since most of the real estate advice one hears is the best time to sell is in the spring.  However, think about this, if everyone is waiting to sell until spring, could that hurt you or help you?
We’ve always heard that “the early bird gets the worm” and that is also true when preparing and showcasing your home to sell.
Go ahead and clean up the yards, throw away the empty flower pots and trim down the dormant plants.

Get the house pressure washed and paint what is necessary.
Have the carpets professionally cleaned or replaced as well as having the wood floors polished or refinished.
Have the interior walls and trim painted with a fresh coat of paint.  It will help remove set in odors and make the house comparable with a newer home.
Replace the appliances, if needed and update any fixtures, countertops and hardware.
All of this takes time and although not impossible to accomplish in a 2 week time frame it is extremely improbable and can really take its toll on a family trying to live in the home while the work is taking place.
Once all this hard dirty work is complete, then it’s time to “show case” the home.
For more information about what work needs to be completed and how to show case your home to sell, give me a shout.
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Nan Johnston is a professional home staging consultant from Newnan with over 30 years experience in the real estate industry. Check out her website for some interesting before and after photos at www.southernstaging.com. To contact her, email her at [email protected].