From Facebook: If You Want to Sell Your House, Do This

While it might seem like it is easy to sell your house in Dallas when the average days on market hover around 44 (the state average in July was 56) and months of inventory in July hit 2.8 months in Dallas and 3.6 months statewide, it does take some effort still.

And that knowledge spurred last week’s Friday question on Facebook, where we asked real estate professionals to give us one piece of advice for sellers.

And while some of our Friday questions provide a lot of varied answers, last Friday’s gave For those of you who have been following us for a while, you’ll be unsurprised to know that the number one piece of advice was to unload.

“Declutter!” said stager Carrie Duck. “When we do our walk-through prior to our installation day we give a ‘To-Do’ list of items to the homeowner.”

“Decluttering usually appears as a task in almost every room,” she said. “Of course decluttering is a win-win situation, not only does it make their home look tidier and bigger but it also helps them purge items that may not be necessary as they move into their new space/home.”

Realtor Karis Jones agrees that most of her sellers need to “declutter and neutralize,” adding that she tells them to “neutralize colors, smells, paint, and decor.”

“Declutter — it’s important to walk through the house with the client to show what needs to be taken out and why,” Realtor Jay Forrester said.

Reader Amanda Bandt said that she’s taken some steps to pare down what’s in her house as she gets ready to sell.

“I’m getting my house ready to put on the market, and have rented a storage space where almost all personal belongings are going,” Bandt said. “Cabinets, drawers, and closets will be mostly empty. It should look like a place real people couldn’t actually be living.”

Our Karen Eubank, also an expert stager, emphasized the importance of decluttering two years ago when she gave our readers five ways to declutter for the most impact.

“The first word your Realtor is going to mention is ‘declutter,’” she wrote. “Then the stager will come in and remark that items need to be stored because it’s hard to see the gorgeous architectural details with your beautiful furniture blocking the columns and impeding the view.”

“A good rule of thumb is to prep your home as though you plan on entertaining,” Jo England wrote in a 2013 story where she got advice from local real estate photographers. “Make it look presentable, declutter the countertops in the kitchens and bathrooms and put everything in its place.”

In a story earlier this year, Candy interviewed stager Suzy Crownover of Crown Home Staging. In that story, she pointed out that stagers and Realtors often emphasize decluttering as part of restaging because it can really further a buyer’s desire to purchase the home.

“One of the reasons staging works so well is most buyers are looking for a move-in ready property that doesn’t require a lot of work,” Candy wrote. “When the rooms are decorated in a way to appeal to a wide range of buyers, decluttered and depersonalized, it subconsciously signals just that. It creates a ‘buy me’ vibe.”

And after you’re done decluttering, Realtor Michelle Hopkins said sellers should take one more step.

“Make it sparkle and shine,” she said. “It needs to look as new and fresh as possible.”

Editor’s Note: Every Friday, we’ll post a hot-button question on our Facebook page. Sometimes, they’ll be serious. Sometimes, they’ll be more light-hearted. Want to take part? Like and follow us, and comment on this Friday’s question.