declutterERAERA JustinERA Justin RealtyJulia Dagistanlireal estateRealogyREALTORrealty August 11, 2013

ERA Justin’s Julia Dagistanli offers tips on getting ready for your fall 2013 sale

New Jersey Monthly Magazine honored Julia Dagistanli with highest in overall satisfaction in 2011 and 2013. She is highly motivated and energetic and her people skills will be apparent as she offers tips for the 2013 fall sale of your house. 


ERA Justin’s Julia Dagistanli offers tips on getting ready for your fall 2013 sale

ERA Justin Realtor sales agent Julia Dagistanli offers South Bergenite and North Jersey Newspapers readers tips with a smile in getting those closets ready for the sale of your house. She has a stellar background with first-time and repeat buyers and a strong base of sellers who bring their homes to market as well as referring new sellers to her. Julia is a people-person, fluent in English, Turkish and French and knows that strong relationships result in successful purchases and sales at our firm. “For many, we hardly want to think about closets, but the day is nearing if you are preparing for a fall 2013 sale. When your Realtor arranges for an open house or appointment, you will no doubt make sure everything is tidy and clean. The dishes are put away, beds made, litter box cleaned. But, what about your closets?  Storage is a number one priority with home buyers. They want to make sure they have a place to put their stuff. Will your closets prove to be a selling point?
 
Ready? You get a phone call. Friends are dropping by for a few minutes, so you toss everything into the closet – toys, coats and whatever. When your guests leave, you swear you will get to it tomorrow. Sometimes, tomorrow never comes. After a while do not remember what is in there. It is now time to de-clutter and de-stress with your sale just around the corner.

 
Everyone loves lots of closet space. Closets are where we keep clothing, shoes, storage for seasonal items, sports equipment, linens and the endless supply of home necessities. The problem is it can become an out of sight, out of mind issue. Since these things reside behind a closed door, they do not get much thought until the day we absolutely have to have that one thing in the very back.

 
It is not going to go away by itself, so take time to tackle it head on and get organized. Allow lots of time for this task. You probably won’t be able to get through it in a day or even a weekend. Remember, it took you a long time to accumulate these items. You cannot expect to clean them all out in a few hours. You might want to tackle this chore in chunks of time, allowing a few weekends to get totally through the process.

 
You will find yourself agonizing over many decisions. The rule is, if you haven’t worn it for 2 years, toss it. If it is a gift that Aunt Emma gave you 5 years ago and something you will never use, it’s time to dispose of it. (Just don’t tell Aunt Emma.) Pretend you are moving to smaller quarters, whether you are or not, and you can only take the things you truly love. If you are having trouble, enlist the help of a friend who can be relentless.
Begin with clothing and shoes. Most of us keep favorites around far too long. Donate to a charity. There is someone out there who will put your items to good use. Place everything in piles: (1) Keepers; (2) Maybes or Yard Sale; and (3) Donations. 

 
Toys and seasonal items are a little more difficult. If the kids have outgrown those old skates, pass them down to a friend. Holiday decorations can tug at your heartstrings, but if they are broken or no longer hold their luster, out they should go.  If you cannot bear to part with them, pack them in a storage box. By the time the de-cluttering is finished you should have room left over. Books, toys and clothing that are going to a charity should be boxed up or placed in plastic bags. If you are considering a yard sale, try to tag as you go along. You might also set up a free table and usually everything will go to good use.

 
Most of us are drowning in paper. When you start sorting through paperwork, promise yourself to handle each piece only once. Papers that belong to other family members should be sorted and then handed over to that individual. Control newspaper and magazine pile-up by vowing to discard each issue by the time the next one arrives. On Sunday, Saturday’s paper goes out whether or not it has been read. The same thing goes for magazines. Some offices or charities are happy to have them, especially hospital waiting rooms. As for regular bills, they can be organized with a portable file box.”


Julia concluded, “ERA Justin Realty received the prestigious world-wide 2003 – 2012 ‘Commitment to Excellence Award,’ one from a few premier ERA real estate firms nationwide from over 2,600.”

Ron Darby, ERA Justin Broker added, “Making these changes as you prepare for a sale will bring more attention and focus to your house. You will want your proposed buyer as well as real estate agents to focus on the amenities of the house rather than your items that you can now more easily dispose of.”

Julia and all of the ERA Justin Realty full service Realtors can be reached at either of their two Rutherford offices at 118 Jackson Avenue and 57 Park Avenue.  By office phone (201) 939-7500, (201) 438-0588 or (201) 438-SOLD. View 1000’s of homes at their websites at www.ERAJustin.com and www.ERAJustinRealty.com.