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5 Reasons to Declutter Before Selling Your Home

You can help your house sell faster by removing clutter. Decluttering is one of the easiest yet effective ways of luring potential buyers by showing them a clean slate for their own lives. Here are five reasons that this simple process can help you close the sale of your home faster.

1. Makes the Rooms Seem Bigger

A bigger space is one of the top reasons why buyers move to a new home. Having too much furniture or too many decorations can make even a bigger room seem cramped. It also makes the home seem untidy and generally unappealing. The best way to deal with this problem is to get rid of anything that you don't need. Only leave behind enough furniture to give warmth to the living spaces. Ensure that there is enough room for ventilation and the necessary flow of traffic. Investing in a storage room can help you keep all the unnecessary stuff out of sight.

2. Uncovers Potential Problems

It is no secret that selling a home with underlying problems is difficult. Structural, electrical, or plumbing issues weaken the seller's bargaining power. Unfortunately, sometimes these issues go unnoticed. For instance, it is difficult to spot mold if it's behind cabinets. The same goes for other issues, like leaky pipes and cracks in the wall. Decluttering will help pinpoint these problems and fix them before staging the house. 

3. Provides Protection From Liability

Every state has different regulations concerning disclosing information about the house. In most cases, sellers are legally required to provide all relevant information about the property. Typical information that a seller should disclose includes death, repairs, water damage, and environmental hazards. Concealing such information can be termed as fraud. Clutter also exposes you to personal injury lawsuits. Decluttering is a good way to uncover these issues and to disclose them to the homebuyer. 

4. Inspires the Buyers’ Imaginations

Homebuyers like to visualize how their own furniture will fit in their new home. Having clutter everywhere hinders this mental process, and homebuyers will be hesitant if they don't feel it's the right fit. Removing clutter also helps create a more neutral environment. Most people feel uncomfortable going to other people's homes. The less personal stuff you have lying around, the easier it is for everyone. 

5. Increases the Perceived Value of the Home

Although decluttering doesn't increase the value of the home, it improves the visual appeal. As any realtor would tell you, perception plays a big part in selling a house. Clutter gives the appearance that a house is old or poorly maintained. It is also a distraction from the strengths of the house. It doesn't matter if you spent a fortune fixing up the place. The neater the house, the more upscale it looks.

It is in the homeowner's best interest to declutter. In addition to helping you get better offers, it is also a chance to protect your valuables.