Skillful staging can make all the difference in the world between a quick sale and one that languishes on the market for months… Explore which staging secrets offer the biggest impact while making YOUR home one that BUYERS will LOVE!
1. Clean, Scrub and Deodorize
We all live with a few dust bunnies, some more than others. However, noticeable dirt and grime will give the impression that a home is not well maintained or cared-for. Hire a cleaning service to deep-clean, if necessary. Remember, it’s the little details that count so pay special attention to windows, light fixtures, ceiling fans, plant shelves, sliding glass door tracks, etc. Before each showing, wipe down surfaces with an all-natural cleaning product to avoid heavy chemical odors. The faint scent of furniture polish or cleanser gives buyers the impression of cleanliness.
We all love our pets, but unpleasant pet odors can make a very negative first impression. Be sure to replace old carpet that can trap offensive and unpleasant pet odors and replace it with new carpet in a neutral color.
2. Remove Quirky Décor and Personal Keepsakes
Packing away personal items is one of the simplest and cheapest tasks AND the most difficult for sellers to do. This will absolutely help sell a home as it de-personalizes the space and enables prospective buyers to imagine it as their future home. SO, dust off and pack away those wedding photos, Precious Moments figurines and prized collectibles. This process will help you begin to let go of the home emotionally by removing distractions that keeps the buyers from being focused on the house and not “your stuff”. You want buyers to begin to imagine moving in and how they will setup their new home.
3. Reduce, Remove and Clear Away Clutter
OK… It’s time to clear the horizontal surfaces – no more piles of mail on the desk or table, no more pill bottles on the bathroom or kitchen counters. Too much “stuff” strewn throughout a home makes it feel smaller, darker and cramped. Eliminating clutter is another way to get buyers focused on the “bones of the home”, not the titles in your CD collection.
Storage space sells even when a buyer is downsizing! Create the feeling of more visual square footage by editing closets, cabinets and built-ins. Remove any unnecessary area rugs as they break up the space and tend to shrink a room. You don’t want “cozy” to be perceived as “cramped”.
TIP: One of the biggest mistakes a seller can make is to fail to see their home as “real estate”. It is vital for sellers to keep in mind that “clutter eats equity”, thereby holding back offers and sales opportunities. It is essential for sellers to realize their home is a “marketable product” as soon as it hits the real estate market.
4. Neutralize the Space
Let’s face it, there is nothing like a new coat of paint! Professional stagers, alike, report that “a coat of neutral (not white) paint is probably going to be a seller’s best return-on-investment.” If your home has been painted recently, consider yourself ahead of the game. Sellers who paint the interior of their home will see a large ROI as fresh, neutral paint on walls, trim and doors is worth its weight in gold. It makes everything appear clean and new.
Now, that the interior space is neutralized, it is time to consider a home’s optimal traffic flow and the placement of furniture. Professional home stagers everywhere recommend that each room has a distinct and single useful purpose. Another strategy is to setup the master bedroom to appeal to both sexes. Get rid of features that seem too gender-specific like floral overload or work-out central. Stick to neutral colors and choose solid bedding that matches. Then accessorize with items that complement the overall theme.
5. Light Things Up
The right kind and amount of illumination can work wonders on how a home is perceived by prospective buyers. When preparing a home for a showing, open the blinds and turn on a few lamps. By brightening things up a bit, it will make the home feel immediately more inviting.
TIP: If you work during the day, do yourself, and the buyers a favor, and leave a few well-placed light fixtures on and have the blinds already open in preparation for prospective buyers during your work day. Chalk up the few cents it will cost you to have the lights on during your daily absence as a basic cost of marketing your home for sale.
Speaking of lighting things up, pay attention to window treatments and remember that “less is more”. Remove heavy and dark fabrics and opt for white sheers. Consider removing outdated curtains, cornices and blinds altogether. Make sure your handyman patches and paints the holes from the removed hardware.
TIP: Don’t forget to clean the windows inside and out – cobwebs, grime/dirt, your little one’s handprints and Fido’s nose marks definitely will detract from the home’s overall appeal.
6. Enhance Curb Appeal
Keeping in mind that you only have one chance at making a good impression on a prospective buyer, the home’s exterior curb appeal is just as important as cleaning the home’s interior. BEFORE you hit the market, pressure-wash the sidewalk, driveway, lanai and home exterior. Don’t neglect the front door! A fresh coat of paint in an accent color on the front door goes a long way as does a brand new front door welcome mat. Mow the lawn, trim the shrubs/trees and pull weeds on a regular basis. Another low cost solution to enhancing curb appeal is mulch. It is cheap, covers a multitude of sins and helps make everything look neat and trim. Take a long hard look at your roof and, if necessary, have it professionally cleaned to remove any dirt, mold or mildew.
7. Keep it Simple
Finally, don’t try to make your home too fancy. You want your home to look like the “best version of itself”, so don’t try to make it something it’s not. Focusing on cleanliness, good lighting and clutter-free surfaces will allow your home’s personality and character to speak for itself.