STAGING
Studies have shown that staged homes net higher offers. The goal is to make your home appeal to the greatest number of buyers. Most sellers are proud of their homes and have decorated in a style that reflects their personal values, taste and lifestyle. However, when selling your home, you want to remove yourself from the landscape. This allows potential buyers to better connect with your property. You want buyers to think about how their belongings would look in the space, rather than to focus on, "I wonder who lives here?" Buyers need to imagine themselves living there. Remember, the way you live in your home and the way you market and sell your house are two very different things!
First Impressions
- Walk to the Front Door - Grab their interest right from the start. Colorful annuals should be planted or potted near the front door. Freshen the mulch and weed the beds.
- Welcome? - If your doormat isn´t new, replace it with a neutral mat.
- Door & Hardware - Wash or paint the front door. Replace the hardware if it´s tired-looking.
- Driveway - Pressure wash if oil or rust stains are present.
De-Personalize
- Pack up family photos - This includes those hanging on the walls. It is difficult for buyers to imagine themselves living in your home, if they have visual reminders of the current occupants.
- Remove all magnets, paper & photos from the refrigerator
- Pack up any collectibles or collections
· Pack up any sentimental items that do not relate to the decor
Out with the clutter
- Clear the top of furniture surfaces - The exceptions would be items like lamps, stately candles and floral arrangements. It will appear stark to you, but will create a more open and spacious feeling. Space sells!
- Pack up the brick-a-brack
- Organize pantry & closets - Buyers will look inside. Avoid giving the impression that there is not enough space. Pack up the clothes, shoes, and etc. that you will not be wearing in the near future. Do the same for the pantry.
Wide Open Spaces
- Furniture & Placement - Remember buyers are looking for square footage. If you have extraneous or unattractive furniture, sell or store it. Too much furniture makes a room feel cramped. No excuses. Be tough and address the problem. Do not block windows with furniture. If a room is dark add lighting and open window treatments during showings.
Pets
- Corral the Critters - Many people suffer from pet allergies, so if at all possible, take your pets with you during showings. Since this is not always feasible, consider confining or crating your pet. It´s important not just for the buyers, but for the safety of your pet.
- Ooo that Smell - If you have pets, your home will have at least a hint of odor present. Don´t let odors turn off a buyer. If it hasn´t been done recently, get the carpets cleaned. Use vanilla or cinnamon plug-ins throughout the home to freshen the air. Over time, our noses get accustomed to our pet´s odors and we can´t tell its present. Take these simple steps to insure that the strong sensory organ, buyer´s noses, don´t turn them away from choosing your home.
Kitchen
- Clear those counters - Everything goes with the exception of just a very few decorative items. This means placing small appliances in the cabinets. Hand towels should be new. Sponges and scrubbers should be tucked under the sink.
- Caulk & Grout - Remove and re-seal any discolored or missing seals.
- Damaged items - Replace any damaged items. Buyers tend to over estimate the cost of repairs.
Bathrooms
- Nothing Personal - Remove all items from the vanities, except a very few decorative items. Utilize medicine cabinets. Use a basket for each person´s frequently used items and store the basket under the vanity.
- Squeaky Clean - It´s a big turnoff for buyers to tour an unclean bathroom. Glass shower panes and dirty grout are the main offenders. Get that glass really clean and use a squeegee and auto glass cloth. It works like a charm.
Wallpaper Woes & Paint Panic
- Borders & Wallpaper - Buyer´s panic about wallpaper removal. You may be thinking, I don´t want to deal with removing it, but that is also exactly what buyers are thinking. Buyers will pass on a home based on wallpaper alone!
- Dark or Bold Paint ? Chances are, potential buyers will not have furniture to match any rooms or walls with very customized, non-neutral paint. They will view these walls as work. Most buyers move into their new homes quickly without the luxury of redecorating time. If you can re-paint with a light, neutral paint it will remove this objection.
Fix the Flaws
- If you have a needed repair, correct it as soon as possible. Bear in mind that buyers will generally overestimate the cost and extent of a repair. They may even pass on your home based solely on a repair needed, because they are unsure of what they might encounter. If at all possible, get it corrected now. Any contract other than an "As Is" contract will require repairs up to a specific dollar amount, so you are better off repairing the item in advance of an offer. A well maintained home draws stronger offers.
As you are implementing these suggestions, continue to remind yourself that staging results in higher offers. Remember, you are not staging for the way you would live. You are neutralizing your home to allow buyers to envision the way they live. Small changes will net BIG RESULTS!
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