Dallas Real Estate News

Does the Hoarders show still air on A&E Monday nights?  I have a weird and almost frightening fascination about hoarding.  I can't comprehend it.  I'm not sure why, I certainly don't think it's because I could ever become a hoarder.  I'm way too fastidious about clutter-free countertops and how much real estate (floor space) is actually showing when I walk into a room.  I get excited about taking a load of unused things to the big Goodwil truck at the Albertsons on Mockingbird... they practically know me by name up there. 

Family members get nervous when they see me eyeing a shelf or a cabinet or closet that I might feel a compulsion to clear of stuff.  Some think I'm cold hearted and unfeeling, because I don't seem to stress over eliminating things that I no longer use or enjoy looking at.  I do have sentimental attachments to a few things... a very few things, but I think that it is because I've made a concious effort to be this way-- both from necessity and because I've spent the last eleven years advising people to pack, toss or sell anything that detracts from the marketable features of their house.

The beginning of a clutter-free life began for me when I moved from a 3200sf house to a 2600sf house, then to a 1700sf house and finally to a 700sf apartment.  Then I was only in the apartment a couple of months before I started "castle keeping" for clients.  I lived in some stunning estate properties as well as some simply nice, comfortable homes, but for two years straight, 7-days-a-week, 12-hours-a-day I was in a state of constant readiness.  It was my responsibility to keep each house ready to show at all times, and then, be able to quickly vacate and set up at the next house without creating a moving mess in the process. 

In many ways, the experience was good for me.  Initially, just due to the downsizing alone, I was forced to eliminate anything that I didn't truly need, didn't use regularly or that wasn't actually worth the expense and effort it took to movem from one house to the next.  When I started castle keeping, I had be sure that the only things I had on display were things that would enhance the features of the house.  I became quite adept at staging and moving, but most importantly, I began to recognize what "things" really were important and which things were just "things".  I let alot of stuff go during that time, but I also realized that not much of it really mattered. 

Of course, there is a psychology to all the staging stuff that you see on HGTV and on agent websites (this one included).  It DOES matter that potential buyers see your house in the best possible "light" (literally and figuratively).  If you can't see the beautiful granite counter top in your kitchen or your bathrooms, it's hard for buyers to count them as reasons to pay more for your house or even get excited about it. 

Even if your Realtor doesn't give you very specific instructions about what to clear out and what to keep (which, by the way, he/she should), keep in mind that every average sized moving box full of "stuff" is the equivalent of approximately $500 in unrealized cash you might otherwise receive from the sale of your home.  Multiply that by ten, and you can see just how important a good decluttering can be when it comes time to sell!  Add to it a deep cleaning and a few decorator tweaks, and you, too, may become a new believer in the value of "letting go". 

For expert advice about staging your home and making sure that you get the most bang for your buck when you make improvements before put your home on the market, consult with a Realtor who can properly advise you.