Making the Best Feature Out of Your Garage

With the most popular real estate season almost upon us, so many sellers spend their time ensuring that their yard is immaculately presented, their windows are bright and sparkling and their homes interior is perfectly staged and yet the garage stands forgotten. Even if you don’t fully use your garage, it is a highly sought after selling feature of your home. Whether your potential buyer may want to house their vehicles or simply require additional storage, your garage should be showcased to highlight it as a fantastic feature.

As you are looking to move in the very near future anyway, this is the perfect time to organize a yard sale. In addition to any bits and pieces you no longer need from inside your home, take a look through all those boxes that may have been sitting in your garage for years. Clearing out any cabinets and shelves will give you room to make the remaining belongings look neat and orderly.

To make your garage look uncluttered and tidy, you could consider adding some heavy duty hooks to clear the floor space of any larger items, tidying any other items onto shelves or into cabinets. This will make your garage appear even more spacious. Be sure to safely store any chemicals, flammable liquids or dangerous tools out of the way. Your potential buyers may bring children to the viewing and you want them to feel confident and safe.

Give the interior a good clean and tidy, clearing any spider webs from hiding places and corners. Make sure the floor is also clean and free from oil spots. This can be easily accomplished with a small amount of paint thinner, cat litter or sawdust and laundry detergent. Also polish up any windows to let in the maximum amount of natural light.

Now is also the perfect time to double check that all the electrical features are working correctly. Check all lights, switches and garage opener features are in good working order and replace any bulbs and fuses while it is still fresh on your mind. You could also consider adding a smoke detector as many buyers will view this as a very positive safety feature.

Don’t forget to present the outside of the garage properly, to complete the overall effect. A fresh coat of paint or a good clean will make a big difference to your homes curb appeal, and you could add a touch of style with some potted plants to showcase the full feature to your potential buyer.

Although other homes in your neighborhood may have garages, make sure you point out any special features that your garage may have, including storage solutions or workbenches, so your real estate agent can make sure they are highlighted to potential buyers. While a badly presented garage won’t usually cost you a sale, when it is well presented it could be the feature which completes the whole package for your buyer and gives you the advantage with a quick sale.