Lets talk Garages. Some tips and thoughts on your garage when selling. Bottom line, keep them empty, clear and clean.
If your car drips oil, fill a pan with cat litter and set it under the drip. Then try and clean any grease stains. You can also use a piece of foil on cardboard for a temporary drip pan.
Clean up oil and grease stains in the garage by applying paint thinner, then covering them with cat litter, dry cement, or sand, and letting the absorbent remain on the sopt overnight. Sweep up the absorbent material and repeat the process if you have to.
You can also try baking soda. Just sprinkle, let sit, sweep and see if that works.
Bleach at full strength may work or tsp (found at home depot or lowes) can be used.
If you must store items, try using the top of your garage by hanging things from the ceiling, or install shelving across ceiling joists with wood shelves.
Hang anything you can on the sides of the garage, better on the walls than on the floor.
If possible rent at the very least a small storage unit to store as much as you can.
After the floor is clean and cleared up try a nice garage concrete paint. They also make a paint with a rubberized small fleck. Either will be a big improvement, and will give your garage a very well maintained look.
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Redesign Etc. of Houston is a Full-Service real estate staging company. We stage vacant, occupied, builders specs, condos, townhomes, vacation rentals and commercial property. We offer furniture & accessory rentals at competitive rates. Insured & Incorporated with the State of TX.
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This is a very good post and I can attest that most garages can use some stagging.
Joan-Thanks, I agree, the garage is usually left out.
Good idea. What impresses me is whenever you see a house where they actually can fit the cars in the garage!
Great tip for sellers - the garage seems to get forgotten the majority of the time!
Cindy-- it's true that many sellers forget the importance of "staging" the garage. It needs to be squeaky clean, with as much floor space as possible showing, and everything neatly organized. A fresh coat of paint on the walls helps too.
Barb-I know, especially here, we can't use our attics, and have no basements, so things usually go to the garages.
Lori-People tend to stuff as much as they can in the garage.
Maureen-Another great tip. I forget that some people have sheetrock on the walls and the ceilings of their garages. Here, alot of garages just have the studs no sheetrock, so the garage isn't finished out, and most are detached with a walk-way. Don't ask me why!
These are awesome tips, Cindy. Perhaps the biggest mistake a home owner can make is to ignore this room. Buyers will want to ensure that they can "park" their car(s) in the garage AND use it for storage.
Thanks for sharing these.
Kathy
So many sellers neglect the garage and don't consider it an important area when preparing their house for sale. Impressions are made from garages, just like any other part of the house and should be clean and clutter free. Great post!
Garages are important--especially to the men! Good post.
Hey, Cindy - do they sell Ferrari staging props? Just wondering. Especially if it actually fits in the garage...
One of my clients painted their garage floor with the paint and it looks great.
Here is the before picture:
It really makes a huge difference. Great post and ideas. Kate
An area of the home that is often forgotten during the prep for sale. Great tips Cindy!
Great tips for this forgotten space...given one of the top 3 criteria for buyers is storage, a clean/organized garage can add extra value !
Cindy,
Why in the world does the garage always seem to be the forgotten room? They scream for some staging love!
I always have believed along with a great Kitchen, a clean and neat garage will help sell the home fast!
The forgotten room!!! Great tip Cindy! Very nice website also.
Cindy
Great suggestions! I also think everyone needs a barn to put all their junk in.