Tips on Staging Your Home (“Staging?”)
Staging
refers to all the things you can do to make your home
sparkle, which you may know through experience is key to obtaining the
highest possible sales price.
1. Create good
curb appeal. When the potential
purchasers step from the salesperson’s car and see your home for the first
time, you want that first impression to be, “Wow!” The lawn, bushes,
flowers, etc. should be kept cut, trimmed, and edged.
2. At the front
door you want to maintain that great first impression.
As the potential purchasers wait to enter your home they will
be inspecting its exterior condition. So, be sure the front door and
surrounding area are scrubbed clean and painted, if necessary. You may
wish to enhance the entrance area with decorative planters, colorful
flowering plants, a nice door wreath, etc.
3. Keep the
window areas clean and dressed up with curtains or drapes.
Keep the curtains or drapes open when the home is being shown
so as to keep the interior bright and cheery.
4. If any of
the interior walls need scrubbing or painting, it is a good idea to get that
accomplished immediately. Money spent on
interior painting is usually more than recovered in the final sales price.
Be sure to use a bright and neutral color, and have fun!
5. Be sure to
keep the kitchen area sparkling and neat since it is an area of major
importance to most prospective buyers.
Although not always a convenient task, keep in mind that
oftentimes the kitchen sells the home.
6. The
bathrooms are also of utmost importance. Be
sure to keep them scrubbed and neat as well.
7. Make up the
beds each day and make sure all clothes are hung neatly away.
You don’t want any disarray or clutter to interfere with
a prospective buyer’s consideration.
8. During
evening showings, be sure to leave lights on in each room, and the more the
better. Doing so will help to show the home
in its best light and makes the potential purchaser feel welcome.
9. Keep all
stairways clear of hazards. Make sure
dishes, clothes, toys, newspapers and magazines, etc. are put away.
10. Keep the
family pet out of the way during showings.
If the potential purchasers are uneasy around your pet, they will not want
to stay. In turn, if they enjoy seeing your pet, they will be
distracted. In either case, the prospective buyers will not be focused
on your home.
11. It is
important for the potential purchasers to feel as comfortable as possible
while in your home. So as not to make them
feel as if they were intruding, it is a good idea for you and your children
to leave them alone with the real estate professional. They will then
feel more comfortable to stay and take a good look, and the salesperson can
then do his or her job.
Remember, the more your
home represents a model home, the closer to top market value you will
receive!
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