Selling your home can be a daunting experience but it doesn’t have to be. Follow my simple 7 tips for success and you will sell at the highest price possible in the shortest amount of time. It takes a little bit of effort, but the modest undertaking will yield great results.

1. Start by hiring an experienced, professional broker with a proven track record to sell your apartment. It is your home, so it is understandable if you feel more comfortable with a friend in your place, but it is most likely also your largest asset. Unless your friend is a top broker, you are leaving money on the table. You should identify three brokers who have worked in your neighborhood and recently had successful sales. Interview all three and decide who you think will do the best job representing your property and your interests in a negotiation.
2.  Declutter your closets, bookcases and countertops. If you are putting your home on the market, you are planning on moving anyway so this is a terrific opportunity to get a jump on the packing process. Start by going through every closet and get rid of anything you will not be taking with you. If your closets are still full, begin removing items you haven’t touched in the past year or will not need in the next six months. There are many low cost storage solutions -some will even come pick up crates from your apartment and deliver them on demand. Also remove items from your kitchen countertops and bathroom countertops. You want your photos to look as much like a disciplined, well-organized, design magazine photo as possible.
3. Assess the condition of your kitchen and bathrooms. People always ask me if they should remodel before selling. Typically I don’t recommend it but if something is clearly broken or badly damaged, see if it can be repaired. A large crack or chip can make a buyer think the price should be discounted.
4. Check for signs of leaking. Are there signs of leaking anywhere? Even if the tiny drip from your upstairs neighbor was cured a year ago, a discolored spot on the ceiling will cause a potential buyer to think twice. A fresh coat of paint is the cure. If there actually is a leak, it must be repaired immediately.
5. Windows are critical to how your place looks. Make sure your windows are clean and letting in the most amount of light possible. If necessary hire a professional window cleaner. It will be money well spent. Heavy window treatments should be removed or pulled back as much as possible. If your view is less than desirable, then a sheer curtain which lets in light but obscures the view is best. If any windows are cracked or the seal has broken, causing them to become cloudy, they must be replaced.
6. Chanel your inner stager not your inner designer. A famous stager once told me that staging is all about making a space feel impersonal so that anyone can imagine themselves living there while interior design is all about personalizing a home. You might feel energized by vibrant wall colors and bold patterns but anything other than neutral colors can make your rooms look small or too taste specific in photographs. Consider painting. Even if you do have a serene palate, when was the last time you painted? If it is more than two or three years ago you may need a fresh coat of paint to make your place look clean and crisp.
7. Remove all personal photos. When selling your home we, want to make sure that buyers are focusing on the apartment and not photos of your family and friends. Walking into a home with personal photos makes it hard for buyers to imagine themselves living there. They invariably become transfixed by the photographs instead of focusing on the apartment. Of course packing away your treasured memories is a hard step, but it is also the best way to start letting go of your home and begin mentally moving into a new one.Contact me for your free market evaluation.