So you accepted the job offer, scouted out your new neighborhood and started packing your wedding china (somewhere in the garage I think … yep, still in the original box). But before the moving frenzy pulls you into a tailspin, take a moment to strategize about the home you’re leaving behind and how to help someone else fall in love with it quickly and (ahem!) profitably. Here’s how to advertise your home to the more than 43% of buyers who shop online first.

Clean it up

Those words may harken back to the days your mother threatened you with no dessert until your room looked less like a barn. But the truth is, your home’s prospective buyers don’t want to look at your home and remember those words either. So start decluttering your home now by donating the clothing, shoes or household items that haven’t left your shelves in a year or more. Make it routine by scheduling weekly trips to Goodwill, Portland Rescue Mission, Salvation Army or another donation center.

Stage your home

According to the National Association of Realtors, 32 percent of buyers’ agents believe that buyers are willing to offer 1 to 5 percent more for staged homes. To get the most bang for your buck, stage only the living room, kitchen and master bedroom. For inspiration, browse the photos and home staging professionals in Portland at Houzz.com.

Take quality photos

A study by the National Association of Realtors concludes that buyers are more willing to visit a home they viewed online, and 83 percent of those buyers found photos of the home to be very valuable. For good quality photos, Consumer Reports recommends using a more advanced camera with a larger sensor, such as the Samsung NX30 or the Canon EOS Rebel T5i SLR. For the most appealing shots, photograph your home on a sunny day and check the photo-size specifications on the website you plan to use for your listing.

All listings with Charlesgate Realty feature professional photography as well as multimedia features like 3-D tours, interactive floor plans, and more!

Get organized

When your home is in chaos and you don’t know whether to gloat or moan about your move, the last thing you need to worry about is tearing open your neatly packed boxes to look for your camera, memory card, contractor quotes, pay stubs or last year’s tax information. Keep your property photos and important documents organized and stored securely in the cloud with a product like Mozy.

Write accurate descriptions

Seventy-nine percent of homebuyers who shopped online found detailed property information valuable, according to the National Association of Realtors. These descriptions can translate into a quicker sale. And according to a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, employing specific language (e.g. maple, granite) rather than vague praise (e.g. clean, beautiful) can correspond to a higher sale price.

Thinking about selling? Contact us to find out how we can put our proven marketing strategy to work for you to get you top dollar in less time!