Let’s face it, no one likes to sell things and selling your house is SALES! You are trying to make your home stand out to ALL prospective buyers who walk through your door. If you present your house correctly, potential buyers will be able to imagine themselves living in the house. Proper staging can decrease the number of days a home stays on the market and increase its selling price. Reputable homebuilders can be hired to visit your home and make any necessary changes to increase the marketability of your home.
Professional home stagers shift the focus of the house from the taste of the seller and target the most likely buyer. Sellers need to realize that those personal mementos, family items, that they don’t save before showing them can affect the speed of their home sale and the value of their home. This is why many REALTORS may ask you to hire setup professionals.
However, if you really want to sell and get the best value, here are some tips from the pros:
1) First impressions start on the outside. The first thing a buyer sees when they arrive at his house is the garage door, the flower beds, the bushes and, of course, the front door. Garages and storage sheds should be cleaned and all bushes and trees trimmed. Flower beds must be weeded and the garden must be cleared. Any personal garden art (pink flamingos or gnomes, etc.) should be put away. Consider spending a few bucks on mulch and maybe some flowers to enhance the ambience. Keep the yard mowed and trimmed and consider painting the garage and front doors.
2) Neutral color paint is preferred throughout. Fresh and clean walls are a must. Your choice of colors can greatly affect the marketability of your home. Remember, we’re trying to make the homebuyer feel at home, so it’s not about his taste, it’s about allowing the homebuyer to imagine his things in the house. Tans, beiges, sages are great options. If you need to brighten up the place a bit, try new towels or colorful throw pillows or cushions. You can also add a lot of color with some fresh flowers and pretty vases.
3) Mess everywhere! If you don’t use it daily, pack it up. Get rid of the clutter you go through every day. If you have children, make sure their things are neat and organized. Clean out all of your closets and cabinets so they look fresh, big, and spacious. Get rid of all those photos, memorabilia and personal items.
4) The entrance to your home should be warm and welcoming. Try some nice-smelling candles and maybe some flowers on a table in the entryway. Remember that you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
5) The kitchen is undoubtedly the most important room when it comes to selling your house. The kitchen MUST be spotless. Clean it from top to bottom, including ceiling corners, ceiling fans, and the floor under cabinets. Remove everything from the refrigerator, including children’s artwork, sports schedules, magnets, etc. Keep countertops clean and remove anything on them. Clean out all cabinets, especially under the sink, and be sure to organize everything, including the pantry and cabinets. Try a fresh coat of paint on the doors and new modern handles or knobs to keep everything looking fresh and new.
6) No one wants to bathe in someone else’s dirt, so make sure your bathrooms are spotless. Clean them like never before. All tile and grout should be scrubbed and shower doors or curtains should be clean with no signs of mold or lime buildup. Clean your counters and put away all your personal items. Try to buy new towels, soaps and decorative containers and possibly even a new shower curtain and rug for the bathroom. Remember that your bathrooms can make or break a sale, so make sure they look great.
7) Make sure furniture is clean, dusted and arranged in a way that allows people to easily walk around the room. If this means moving a piece or two into storage, then go for it. It is important that people do not feel overwhelmed when viewing a house. Save all your CDs, videos and photos and personal memories. Emphasize anything special in a room, such as a fireplace mantle or built-in shelves, by placing a flower arrangement, clock or piece of art above it. Never use personal photos of family or friends as display pieces.
8) Whenever you have a viewing scheduled or an open house, be sure to clean the house from top to bottom, including the ceiling fans. Lighting is very important. You want enough light that your house isn’t “cave-like,” but not so much that it looks like an operating room. Open the curtains and blinds and try to let in as much natural light as possible. If you want, you can put on soft music and spray some air freshener or put some scented oil on the bulbs. Don’t go overboard with the smelly stuff or people might think you’re trying to cover up some bad smells. You can’t go wrong with fresh flowers and maybe even a candle or two in the bathrooms and kitchen.
9) A friend of mine, a real estate agent, suggests that you go through each room with fresh eyes. He tries to imagine himself as a buyer. He tries to do everything on the list and prepares the house as if someone is going to see it. Him now he go do something you like to do and take your mind off the house for a while. Spend a few hours away and then return to your house as if it was the first time you’ve seen it. Enjoy everything from the view when you first drive in to the feel of home when you walk out the front door to leave. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll probably see some things I didn’t cover here and that’s great. Fix everything you can to make sure prospective homebuyers don’t find any problems with your home when they make their final decision.
My suggestion is that if you can afford a stage, it’s worth the money. If you can’t, it’s not the end of the world, you can still get the job done with a little common sense and a little old-fashioned effort.