You are ready!! You called the real estate agent; signed the listing agreement but wait! Your agent said you need to make your house look like it does not belong to anyone!! Why??? The reason is “de-personalization” and that is the first step in getting your house ready!!

Why "de-personalize" your home?? Very easy!! You want buyers to view this as their potential home. When a potential homebuyer sees your family photos hanging on the wall, it puts your own “watermark” on the home and momentarily created in their mind that owning the house is not possible for them. Therefore, it is a great idea to put away family photos, trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks, and souvenirs. Hide them in a box and rent a storage area for a few months and put the box in the storage unit. Don’t just put the box in the attic, garage or a closet. Another important step in preparing a house for sale is to remove "clutter," which is the next step in preparing your house for sale.

For many people, this is the hardest step because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of living somewhere, clutter collects and the owner may not be aware of it. However, it affects the way buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages and attics. Look around and pretend you are a buyer. Let someone else help point out areas of clutter, as long as you can accept their views without getting defensive. Let your agent help you, too.