7 Quick Tips for Staging Your Home
July 13, 2010
Now that you put on your house on the market the next step is staging your home for potential buyers. It’s important to de-associate your home as the place you live. Remember, the end goal is to sell your home, so think of it as a product or commodity to potential buyers. The reason for staging your home is to present it in the most visually pleasing way possible so buyers are able to imagine themselves actually living there. Keep in mind that staging does not entail decorating. Executing on effective solutions to enhance your homes appeal will have immediate, positive impressions upon the potential buyer.
Enhance Curb Appeal –Since the potential buyer’s interest first lies in the exterior visibility of the home, you want to make sure that everything is up to par. Replacing front entry hardware alone will increase curb appeal tremendously. In addition, you want to update the front entry further by providing a fresh coat of paint to exterior doors, garages and window trim. You also want to take a look around the patio, walkways and steps to determine if there is cracking that needs to be fixed. In regards to landscaping, keep the lawn edged, cut and watered regularly and trim the bushes. Also, store away any landscaping tools, RVs and old beaten up cars so they are not visible to the buyer.
De-Personalize – Potential buyers ultimately want to picture themselves, family and friends in the home. Pack up all the personal belongings including photographs and family heirlooms. Having personal artifacts on display will distract the buyer from imaging their own personal possessions in the home.
Organize Closet and Storage Space – New homes buyers absolutely love to peek in the closets and cabinets. Make sure everything is well organized and not falling out on the potential homebuyer as they open a door! Neatly stack dishes and glassware, provide an organized utensil drawer, line up shoes, hang or fold clothing and place your hamper in a reasonable location, preferably out of site. (Note: if you need to replace or upgrade your cabinetry prior to staging, consider this site to buy cabinets online.)
Provide a Clutter-Free Home – In retrospect, you have probably collected a majority of keepsakes and treasures, otherwise known as “junk” that are useless on day to day basis and even a yearly basis! Keep in mind that you will soon have to pack up your home and prepare for moving day. So why not de-clutter your home now, while your home is on the market. Remove books from the bookshelves, put knickknacks away, trash the magazines, donate old toys that have collected dust, dispense old towels, sheets and curtains, etc.
Rent a Self-Storage Unit – I’m sure you have heard of the saying, “less is more.” Keep this in mind when staging your home. Less furniture will actually open up space and have it appear larger by removing the pieces that block pathways or are there for comfort. There are a ton of self-storage locations where you can store all the photographs, books, furniture and RV’s. At FindMySelfStorage.com, you can locate a self storage unit near you, for both indoor and outdoor use. Also, make sure to store away any appliances you don’t wish to sell.
Make it Sparkle – Don’t forget to dust, vacuum and do all the necessity cleaning before opening your doors to the public. Make your furniture look brand new and have the glass and counter-tops sparkle.
Bake Cookies – It’s often recommended that the smell of cookies baking allows potential buyers to feel at home, in a warm environment. Make sure you lure the buyers in and put that cookie dough in the oven!
Of course, there are a variety of additional staging elements that can be done in prepping your home for sale. However, to make the most of the staging process, it is best to hire a staging expert or real estate agent that can better assist in all areas of selling your home.