As many HGTV shows as there are weekly, it is sometimes fascinating to me when I suggest to a seller that they should stage their home and I get a bewildered look. Maybe the message from all those TV shows is lost between annoying commercials and the glitz of TV. So you ask….. Why do I need to stage my home? What is entailed in staging my home for sale?
Let's start with the WHY. Clutter distracts the eye and buyers need as few distractions as possible when trying to envision themselves calling your house HOME. Hore a professional and let them help you set the stage for a better buying experience. It really isn't all that expensive compared to remodeling.
Now lets address the question of….. What is entailed?
- 1st Impressions = atmosphere. Turn off the TV, freshair, flowers, pleasing scent, relaxing or soothing background music (low volume)
- Curb appeal…cut the grass, rake the yard, remove webs or dead bugs from entry, mulch, powerwash, toys out of the yard, etc.
- Kitchen counters – cleared, nothing unnecessary should be taking up counter space, wipe down appliances. You want the kitchen to appear spacious, clean and bright.
- Paint..neutrail tones. Inexpensive and effective.
- Strategically postion plants in areas of your house that look empty or cold.
- Furniture…..you may love your oversized chair but deep down you know it is too big for the room. The goal is to reduce furniture to open up space and give the room the appearance of more square footage.
- Store the clutter. Your child's latest painting may be special to you but it is clutter to someone else. Store it along with anything else that will distract a potential buyer.
- Update…Update..Update – Furniture, towels, anything that looks worn or out of date.
While the above may seem reasonable it is often overlooked. Usually a realtor, a good realtor will notice these often overlooked issues and suggest a home stager or offer some help based on their experiences. Please don't take this information as criticizing you, your sense of style or as insult to your decorating. Your realtor is being paid to sell your house and help you make the most money from the sale.
Let them help. Afterall, staged homes usually sell faster and for more money that unstaged homes.
