Ten Low Cost Things You Can Do To Stage Your Home For Sale

August 27th, 2007 categories: Down to Earth Information, Real Estate News

Entry way This is probably the number one question I get when listing someone’s home. And there is a direct correlation between days on the market and those that follow this advise and those that choose not to. These great suggestions are better done before your house has that for sale sign planted in the front yard.

1. Curb appeal: If you can’t get them in the front door the next nine suggestions will not matter much. Edge, mulch, clean and add some color. Be sure the front door is updated and the focal point. The grass needs to be green, free of clutter and weed free. If you can do this for the backyard too, great but not nearly as important as the front.

2. Light: Nothing improves the interior appeal like light. Make sure all the light bulbs are a higher voltage and working. If the showing is during the daylight hours, open shades and let the sunlight in.

3. Clean, Clean, Clean: This is the stuff that will take a little time. A messy house is different, messy you throw under the bed at the last minute. Deep cleaning is removing anything that would remind a potential customer that someone has lived here. Shining woodwork, gleaming chrome, spotless windows, polished tile, and even carpets will look less worn if they are professionally clean. Bathrooms and kitchens are especially scrutinized. Remember if the buyer doesn’t think, “this house needs a lot of work before I will move in”, you have just increased your chances of selling.

4. Floor space: One thing buyers like is space. If you can let the buyer see more floor they will be able to imagine more room for their belongings. Start packing things that occupy the floor space. Then stack those boxes in the basement, garage, or better yet a storage bin. Sort and give away all those treasures you don’t plan on taking with you. Arrange what you have left to look more spacious.

5. Storage: People love closets and shelving. The best way to increase this element is to get rid of half of the things we have in our closets, on our shelves and in our pantries. I know you can do this!! Pack up those Christmas decoration and book collections and store them. Then take what you have left and arrange in a organize fashion to give the appearance of more storage space.

6. Personal Items: Remember buyers are looking at your home not your personal items. Especially your very personal items like pictures, medicine bottles and laundry. Some collections are OK if they fit in your decor, but too much of this type of character may make it hard for them to fit their personal style into your house. And I must say, the older we get, the longer we live in one house, the more of this will have to go. So have a good friend or your realtor help you separate your personal items from the decor.

7. Details: Pay attention to small details, this just goes a long way to saying you care. If the door knobs are tight, faucets don’t leak and the chalking in the tub is good repair, that translates into you taking good care of the rest of your home.

8. Smells: It’s the most memory inducing sense. Some suggest having some bread baking or something to remind them of home, but I found that pretty impossible to do (they never want to see your home when you have time to do this) But I think the lack of smell is best of all. Perfumes and candles can be too much for some folks and causes some to wonder what you trying to cover up. Be very conscious of animal smells. If your house is clean, and you are careful about what you cooked the night before, this should not be a issue.

9. Color: If you have some pretty, dark colors on walls of your main living areas, consider a neutral color. Even though paint is cheap and most people are able to get this job done prior to moving in, neutral grays and creams on the walls go over much better with the buying public. Keep the focus on the room not the wall.

10. Bodies: The best thing to do to help sell your home is to arrange to have you, your children, grandma and your animals either kenneled or gone during the showing. Allow your buyers to really feel comfortable checking out your house by not being in it!

Tags: Staging, Selling, real+estate