by Dorothy Sander

Created on: June 18, 2009

Most people don't think that the appearance of their garage makes any difference when they are selling their home. They take plenty of time and spend more money than necessary painting and decorating. They make sure that everything in the house is clean, neat and orderly, but the garage they don't think too much about. After all, it's the garage, who cares?

Garage Lovers Care

Many people who want a garage when they are buying a house value the garage for its storage convenience both for vehicles and household tools. They want to be able to drive their car in at night, close the door and know that all is well. If you are selling your home, a garage that is neat and orderly to the shopper will say "I care about my house" and I know you will too.

Clean and Neat

Before you show your home, clean your garage thoroughly. If you do not already having hooks to hang things on, invest in enough to hang everything and anything you can. Dust and cobwebs don't matter most of the time, but when it's time to stage your home, they suddenly become very important. Take a good look at the condition of the walls as well. If they need painting, paint them and paint the ceiling and floor while you're at it, using a light color. The minimal expense involved will be returned to in the sale price. Wash the windows and replace the light bulb. Clean and neat is what you're after.

Spacious

Do get rid of everything you possibly can. You want the buyer to think the garage is as big as possible and eliminating anything on the floor and around the edges will accomplish this. Leave the car in the driveway or on the street while the house is being shown. An empty garage looks much bigger than one with a car parked in it. Paint the ceiling, walls and floor a light color if they are dark.

Homey and Inviting

A garage can say "I'm lived in and loved" and this imparts a subtle message to the buyer that you loved your home and took very good care of it. It leaves them with a positive feeling about the home. It doesn't take much to make a garage look homey. Just hang a few well placed pictures and consider a window topper or a soft shade for the windows. Don't overdo it though or you run the risk of making the area look smaller. Simple is best. Do add color. A colorful, yet durable, throw rug by the door to the house can provide just what you need in both warmth and color.

When staging your home for sale purposes, don't dismiss the importance of the garage to the potential buyer. It doesn't take that much time and effort to whip it into shape and it could be the difference between a sale and someone who walks away.

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