How to Prepare Your Hamptons Home for Sale

There are many considerations to keep in mind when selling or renting your home. Maintaining the interior and exterior are key. In order to receive your optimal price, all repairs, appliances, painting and cosmetic fixes should be addressed well before a home is ready to be shown.

Many factors create interest in a home, but, curb appeal is at the top of the list. The attractiveness of the exterior of a home is the first thing a potential buyer responds to. “What sells a home is love at first sight,” interior designer and professional stager, Allegra Dioguardi observes. (Dioguardi’s work was recently featured on an episode of A&E’s popular television show about how-not-to-live, Hoarders.)

A well-manicured yard sets the tone. Invest in lawn maintenance as well as vibrant flowers and shrubs, if you don’t already have such items in your yard. Simple touches really make a big difference and will add value to a home, making them a smart investment. Locally there are many high quality nurseries and garden centers. Visit a few of and walk away with a little from each one in order to get the variety needed for your outdoor Garden of Eden.

Now on to the interior. There are many ideas and wonderful tips that will help sell a home. First and foremost is cleanliness and organization. Remove the clutter and create as much open space as possible. Too many personal items may be a distraction. Potential buyers need to imagine living in a home with their family, not yours. It’s difficult to see the potential in a home when there is too much stuff. Simple is best.

Touches like freshly-cut, colorful flowers, scented candles (vanilla and white linen are popular), lightly scented potpourri and soft music (jazz or classical perhaps) can add to the ambiance of a home when it’s being shown. Our sense of smell adds to a positive and relaxing experience and that’s why mild fragrances work best. Perfumed room sprays and strong scents can be overwhelming and some people have allergies.

Remember to keep colors neutral to allow a potential buyer to envision their own color preferences. Use throw pillows, decorative accents and pictures to add a pop of color and a sense of style to the home. Maintain as much space as possible by rearranging furniture and eliminating clutter. A home should be accented by furniture, not filled with it.

If you have pets, make sure to have them in a safe place, especially if they tend to be excitable when strangers visit your home. Check that all your doors have easy access and closets are neatly displayed.

For those of you who just don’t have the time to take care of all these important items, a real estate agent may recommend the assistance of a professional home stager. A professional home stager can make a huge difference in the sale of
your home.

The cost of each staging project varies depending on the size of the home, the clients’ vision and the time frame. Some assignments may require only a quick facelift while others may entail starting with a “blank canvas.”

“If people like what they see, they can imagine living there. A home should be designed to sell,” said Dioguardi, president of Styled and Sold.

Adding to the value and potential sale price of your property is simple if you follow these basic steps. Sprucing up your home and creating interest can be an enjoyable experience. We have so many resources on the East End, and you don’t have to break the bank to achieve your goals—TJ Maxx, Home Goods and Tanger Outlets have many affordable options.

To contact Allegra Dioguardi of Styled and Sold, visit styledandsold.com or call 631-899-3305.