10 Tips for Staging your Home

Get a Fresh Perspective - Once you've decided to sell your home, but before the sign goes up in the yard, look at your home through the eyes of a potential buyer. Ask a friend with an "eye" for decorating to give you her opinion. And always ask your real estate agent to offer suggestions about anything that would turn off a potential buyer. To begin with, though, you might want to pretend to be a buyer driving up to your home for the first time.

1. What kind of curb appeal does your home have? Is the grass mowed? Are the rocks and shrubs groomed? Are there any weeds peeking up? Does the front entrance look inviting? Are the kids'/grandkids' toys out of site? Would a potential buyer take one look and keep on going, or would he stopto pick up a flyer and setup an appointment to see the rest of the home?
2. Now park the car in the driveway and get out. Are there oil stains on the concrete? Walk to the front door. Is there any paint peeling or house numbers missing? Are there flowers that welcome you? Is the front step area super clean and any glass in the door/storm door sparkling? These are the kinds of things that speak to buyers saying either: "Look how well cared for I am!" or "My owners have been neglecting me!"
3. Open the front door and step inside. What's the first thing that catches your attention? How does the home smell? Believe it or not, but this can have a really big impact on a potential buyer. If the home smells really clean, this reaffirms the buyer impression that the home is well maintained. If the home smells of fresh-baked bread or cookies, the buyer can picture your home as a place where his family will spend happy times together. However, if the home smells like cigarette smoke or a cat litter box that needs emptied, a potential buyer may not even look through the rest of the house, especially if they have allergies.
4. Does the home feel sunny and bright? Right up there with the smell of the home is lighting. Again, this has a much greater impact on a buyer than either the buyer or seller realize. Before buyers enter the home, make sure drapes/curtains/blinds are open to the max. This will showcase views and sparkling clean windows. In rooms with little natural light or on cloudy days, make sure the lights are turned on (before the buyer begins his tour). Don't use low wattage bulbs that do not illuminate adequately. Ambient lighting is great (i.e. sconces, table lamps, and pot lights). Make sure you've turned on a few of these.
5. What is the best feature of the living room? Is it a wonderful fireplace, a beautiful bay window framing a fantastic view, a fabulous built in entertainment center? If you're not sure ask your "decorator" friend or your real estate agent. Whatever you decide it is, then showcase that feature.
6. What about the furniture? Is there a chair that blocks the traffic flow to the other rooms? If so, relocate it. Is all the furniture "lined up against the wall"? Pulling some of the pieces out away from a wall can add visual interest. Do you have too much furniture? An overcrowded room will seem smaller. By putting some excess furnishings in storage you can make a small room feel more spacious.
7. Check out the walls. Are the walls painted country blue or hunter green? If so, repainting in a more current, neutral color will update a room significantly. The same goes for dated wallpapers and borders. A $15-gallon of paint can mean the difference between a buyer falling in love with your home or crossing it off their list.
8. Now, how about the flooring? Make sure the carpets are clean and free of stains. If the flooring is in bad shape or is extremely dated, you may want to consider replacing it. This can be costly, but can also yield a big return on your investment. Just be careful to choose a replacement that is in a current neutral color and doesn't scream "I'm cheap! My owner bought me in the closeout bin at 'Save-A-Buck!'"
9. It's time to de-clutter! You may love your collection of 100 miniature porcelain poodles, but the buyer may not. Again, the fewer knick-knacks, kotchzkies, and "collections" you have on display, the more spacious the home will feel. This is especially true in the kitchen. The cleaner the countertops, the better . . . and no refrigerator art!
10. Clean, clean, clean. Take two identical houses for sale. The clean one will sell faster and for a higher price almost every time. If your time is a premium or your health isn't the best, hire a cleaning service. It will be money well spent!

I'd love to hear if you've found these tips to be helpful, or if you have a special tip you'd like me to pass on to others. If so please email me at Gretchen@GretchensHouses.com. Thanks!!!