Top 7 Things to Leave In Your Home While Its For Sale

There are hundreds of ideas floating around about what you should not have in your house when you're trying to sell it but what about what you should keep? Believe it or not, stripping your house down to its bare walls will actually hurt your chances of selling. Here are seven things you shouldn't take out of your house when you're trying to sell it:

1. Keep all major furniture pieces.
   
   Taking away furniture that defines a room's purpose is the worst way to sell your home. Keep the dining set in place so potential buyers don't have to think about how each room should be used.
   
   
2. Leave your car in the garage.
   
   Unless you have just one car, leave your second car in the garage during showings. Sure it'll take up a lot of space in the garage but that's a good thing. Just as furniture gives buyers perspective on a home's layout, a garage with car will let buyers see how they could utilize the space.
   
   
3. Continue using your kitchen counters.
   
   One misconception home sellers often make is that less is more when your home is for sale. While that is true when dealing with cluttered spaces you still need to show how capable your kitchen is. A coffee maker and a few storage pots make great kitchen eye candy when selling your home.
   
   
4. Fully stock each bathroom with towels and essentials.
   
   Often forgotten when homes have been vacated for a while, basic toiletries and towels should remain even if you no longer live in the home. After a long day of showings its possible that buyers will need to use the bathroom while viewing your property. What better way to showcase the value of your home than to fulfill an urgent need of the buyers?
   
   
5. Before and after pictures of home renovations.
   
   Family photos are the taboo of home selling because they can detract from a home sale but renovation photos are their good stuff counterpart. Show buyers the amazing amount of work you went through to build out that sunroom or expand the master suite and watch their eyes light up with value. This technique will also keep buyers in your home longer, increasing the chances of a second look!
   
   
6. Seasonal landscape photos.
   
   Just as home renovations can prove the value of your home, landscape photos can offer a glimpse of your home's year-round beauty. If a buyer can see the stunning flowers and plants that come to life during the Spring in the middle of November then they have something to look forward to if they buy your home.
   
   
7. List of utilities and costs for one year.
   
   It's not common knowledge for first time home buyers to know how much it costs to use the utilities in a home. This rings true even more so for renters who have their utilities included in their rent and aren't used to paying for utilities. You may worry that this will scare them away but just remember every home requires utilities to be lived in. Answer their questions upfront and they'll trust you more than other homes for sale.

Joshua Ferris is an associate real estate broker in New York who assists buyers and sellers looking for Hudson Valley real estate. Learn more about popular neighborhoods like The Grove at New Windsor and Rockland County real estate by visiting the sites above.