Your garage can make the sale

Even this untidy garage conveys space and livability

It's no secret that having a garage is an asset to any house. However, over the years I've seen everyone from agents to photographers to homeowners forget to highlight them as part of their marketing plan. As newer homes in cities have smaller indoor parking or neglect them altogether, these traditional spaces have gained a lot of perceived value over the years. Whether you use it to park cars, or a ping pong table, cleaning and organizing your garage could be the key to selling your house. Put in the effort to make your garage shine, and make sure to remind your agent to take pictures and use them to market your home.

Versatility is key

The most beautiful part about the garage is that it can be anything you want it to be. I've seen garages that are full gyms, breweries, giant storage spaces, wood shops, auto body/repair shops, and even covered parking spaces. The key: show that versatility off to potential buyers by getting your space looking its very best.

This over the top organized garage could be used for anything from a workshop to a lounge space

Full of dreams

Yours doesn't have to be the garage of a million dollar home to make an impact. Check out the garage above - it's mostly empty. Many buyers fill that empty space with their dreams and possibilities. I've found that not all buyers care about this oft neglected utilitarian space, but part of marketing your home is appealing to a variety of people right? Just like inside, they want to imagine themselves in the space.

This empty garage sold the house and I had to BEG the photographer to take this photo

In the photo above, the photographer was leaving without the garage photo. I asked him specifically to go back and take it because I thought it was a huge positive feature to the house. I later found out that the future buyers scheduled a showing because they loved the garage.

Even market experts often miss out on a huge opportunity to highlight this cold concrete wonderland. Don't forget to leave some space for the buyer's imagination when you are de-cluttering to sell your house. Organize those holiday decorations, display your fishing gear neatly, and maybe move that boat to storage while your place is on the market. A tidy, uncluttered space throughout the home - including the garage - helps the buyer mentally place their belongings in their future home.

Summary

• Clean, de-clutter the garage

• Less is more - move out large items, neatly box and label seasonal items

• ASK your Realtor to take photos and feature your hard work

If you like what you are reading please comment below or subscribe for more articles. If you are in the Oregon City and Portland area and need someone to market your house for sale please contact me directly at randybydesign@gmail.com.

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Randy Hamilton is a principal real estate broker with Coldwell Banker Bain Realty in Oregon City, Oregon. He is a 2nd generation Realtor, bringing over 10 years of experience to marketing properties, negotiating sales and being an advocate for buyers & sellers. As a Certified Staging Agent, he is uniquely qualified to promote your home’s best features, and he puts that knowledge to work on houses in all price ranges.

You can reach him at 503.545.8521, or randallhamilton@cbbain.com.

Randy is a licensed Realtor in the state of Oregon.

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