"Home Staging" is more than just preparing to sell your home by making it look the best it can. It's really the art of first impressions. For many home sellers and real estate agents, the concept of "home staging" is being more frequently recognized and used to effectively promote and market a home in the marketplace. However, while real estate agents are experts in the field of selling houses and closing the sale, many are not experts in design. If you are in the process of, or thinking about, selling your home, you may want to consider hiring a professional home stager to assist you.
They work with the "flow" of a home to eliminate clutter, neutralize personal touches that might turn off a buyer who cannot envision their personal belongings intertwined with yours on the bookshelf, rearrange furniture, and even assist in enhancing curb appeal. Or, if you're more the do-it-yourself type, below are some tips on what you can do to improve your home's "first impression." Remember that first impression may make them come back, but it can also drive them away for good.
Start at the curb
Curb appeal is the first step to selling your home. No one wants to buy a previous owner'sdirty house. Power-wash the siding and wash windows until they shine. Trees, shrubs, and flowers should be neat and tidy, the garden weeded and the lawn mowed and edged. Once you've removed everything that isn't necessary, add touches such as large, lush flower pots or hanging planters to welcome visitors.
Move Inside
Once you've created a promising exterior, you need to focus on the interior. The key to staging is to make it meaningful, set the tone and suggest countless possibilities. That means you need to remove everything that could distract the buyer's attention. Keep only what you must to remain functional. If you don't use something everyday, pack it for the
move. Like the exterior, the inside needs to be neat and clean. If paint is showing signs of age, repaint. Neutrals often work best. Once the house is clean, stage your home with minimal furnishings.
If you need inspiration, visit some model homes to see how decorators have put rooms together. Clear out closets, cupboards, and drawers. Strip the kitchen down to the necessities. Counters, however, should be clear, except for a decoratively placed
bowl of fruit or bouquet of fresh flowers. It's not necessary for individual rooms to be used for their original purpose as long as the functions they represent are logical and show the space off well.
Remove anything personal such as family pictures and mementos. Edit books, CDs, and videos on bookshelves. Arrange furniture to enhance the strengths of the room and facilitate traffic flow.
If your furniture shows signs of age, consider borrowing pieces. Open the curtains to allow natural light to fill the room. Appeal to the buyer's sense of smell. Hot apple cider, cinnamon rolls, or fresh baked cookies add a homey smell.
Simplicity and comfort is your ultimate goal!
Home Selling Trivia!
What is one of the most common
ways for making a home
more appealing to buyers?
Neutralizing dark or bold
colors makes it easier for
a buyer to visualize how
the home will look with
their possessions.
Your Home Staging Checklist
* Are all countertops clean and clear?
* Have you removed unnecessary furniture
throughout the house?
* Is the refrigerator free of children's art and
magnets?
* Check the bathrooms
* Are the surfaces clean and clear?
* Are shower curtains clean and hung properly?
* Is the flooring clean and fresh?
* Are towels neatly hung?
* Check the walls
* Is paint and wallpaper fresh and clean?
* Are the walls free from cracks and holes?
* Is there anything on the walls that need to be
removed?
* Check the floors
* Is the carpet clean and free from stains?
* Are hard surface floors clean and free from
stains?
* Check the windows
* Are all the windows clean?
* Are draperies and blinds clean?
* Pet check
* Remove any signs that this is a pet's home.
* Check the aroma
* Air out the home prior to showings.
* Set the mood prior to showings
* Open draperies and blinds.
* Turn on the radio to a soft music station, set
the volume low.
* If you have time, bake a batch of cookies or
muffins to create a warm, welcoming aroma
