With the emergence of the coronavirus, how you sell your home has changed for the foreseeable future. It may be quite a while before you are comfortable with buyers physically touring our homes even when a possible purchase offer is on the line, and rightfully so.
Keeping your home sale rolling may not be impossible thanks to technology and virtual open houses. A virtual open house is a live event scheduled at a designated time, just like a traditional open house. However, instead of people physically touring your home, your real estate agent “shows” the home virtually via video, then promotes that video presentation on Facebook or YouTube.
Virtual open houses are an effective way to give buyers a full “picture” of your home from a safe distance. Here are tips to get your home in camera-ready shape when preparing for a virtual open house.
- See What the Camera Will See
It’s commonly said a camera adds ten pounds, making you look heavier than you really are. The same concept holds true with a room. While a room feels comfortable when you’re sitting in it, the camera may picture it as crowded and cluttered. - Make Your Home Sparkling Clean
Start by cleaning every nook and cranny. A camera catches what we turn a blind eye to. Start by clearing tabletops, countertops, and that “one spot” in your home where everything accumulates. Deep clean carpets and rugs, wash baseboards, wipe down fan blades and don’t forget about the fingerprints on your refrigerator door. Having a deep clean completed will make it easier to keep the entire house consistently clean when the time comes for physical walkthroughs. - Know What to Leave and What to Stash
The goal is to make rooms visibly appear larger in videos. Remove or rearrange large pieces of furniture. Find a new home fore “extra” pieces of furniture that make your rooms feel overstuffed on camera. Do leave key pieces such as floor or tabletop lamps, plants, or a stack of books, so potential buyers get a feeling of scale in your home. - Add Color for Interest
Now is the time to add back–just a little! A few well-placed, colorful room accessories like throw pillows, a green plant, or colorful flowers add interest to your rooms in the video. - Keep Your Home in Showing-Ready Shape
Buyers viewing your home virtually will expect the same house when they see it in person, so keep it in showing-ready shape.
Taking the time to prepare your home for a virtual open house makes for a better presentation and, hopefully, a faster sale.
THINKING ABOUT BUYING OR SELLING A HOME? I can help make the process easy, get in touch today!
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