Now, it is a common request in home staging that you de clutter and remove personal belongings but, where can you come out as the expert in your listing appointment? If you have a flair for design then vision will go past my basic recommendations and if you need a few more than the basics, you are in for a treat!
Sight, Sound, Touch and Smell, yes your senses sell you every time! Just as much as you pay attention to what is appealing to your senses you intently avoid what is not. Sometime during your appointment you should have the homeowner walk you through the home as if you were the buyer! Asking them about their favorite room, what features do they most enjoy about the home, talk about any recent upgrades etc. This will be more revealing than the direct questions asked. The passion the owner has on their home reveals how they may take your suggestions on staging. Do you need to sell it or are they an eager participant that cannot hear enough advice on what to do? It will also help you write your property positioning statement. I personally like to greet them at the door and with genuine interest, break the ice by having them immediately take me through as if I am the buyer. I do not forget, as I have seen many agents do, that I am still a guest in their house.
Now, I know when I sit down with them where my influence in money saving tips, why they should list with me today, and how much preparation we have in getting the home ready to sell. There are times when the home is perfect – !!!GREAT!!! – makes my job easier! All things considered, at this point I am ready to make some changes and excite the homeowner about the results! There are some great simple tips to provide after you run through the basics – de clutter, de personalize, clean and freshen the air by adding some tasty scents.
There is more to it than just having cookie smells, it creates a reaction! The reactions are what you want; they create an emotional connection between the buyer and their new home. The owner can purchase the following fragrances (plugins or candles) for dining and kitchen areas: Sugar Cookies, Vanilla, Apple Cinnamon, Cinnamon Bun; Living, Bedrooms, Bathrooms and other Main Areas: Clean Linen, Clean Cotton, Spring and Ocean (Fresh light scents). If the home is musty or smells old do not use Vanilla, it makes it worse and Sandalwood helps mask the heavy smells. Next, focus on minimizing both the furniture and décor in the room. Just keep the essentials in place such as a sofa, end tables, coffee table, 1 or 2 lamps and a chair. Put a nice throw over the back of the couch or chair, grab a home styles magazine and open to a nice section and lay on the coffee table and add some small pillows where appropriate. Look at traffic patterns or what makes most sense for one and fix the pathway. Remove excess decorations even if they are nice, remember, style needs to be simple, inviting and with a splash of color not an overdose of personality.
In a small kitchen with minimal counter space have everything removed except for a row of canisters (if they have them), a folded hand towel and 2 of the following: Décor oils, bowl of fresh fruit (or Plastic), salt & pepper shakers, cutting board, cookbook on a stand and/or teapot on the stove. Identify an appropriate art piece to hang on the wall if there is wall space. Minimize the kitchen themes, cows, sunflowers, roosters, apples or whatever else you may see. If you can talk the homeowner into it remove the borders and paint a refreshing neutral color. Everything needs to come off the refrigerator, I mean everything! In a larger kitchen you may have 4 additional items vs. 2 on the counters.
For the dining room should have nice place settings on the table, nice bouquet of flowers in the center of the table or a nice center piece. The bathrooms should have everything put away except for some fresh towels and a nice floor mat. Let in the light! I cannot tell you enough how many times buyers state a home is too dark when in fact it is just closed up. Pull the drapes back, open the blinds and if you can lighten dark colors that detract from the beauty of the home.
Let’s talk Curb Appeal! The first WOW factor takes place when a buyer pulls up to the home and becomes so excited about what the inside holds in store by the view of the exterior. Curb Appeal SELLS! Just think of how many more interested buyers there will be when the exterior of your seller's home is making a come and buy me statement! The main picture that must be posted in most MLS’s is an exterior property picture! How many online clicks do you think you are missing out on if it does not appear attractive. First apply the basics of mowing the lawn, trimming the shrubs, raking, pulling weeds and removing any yard debris including lawn ornaments! Pressure wash the home and driveway and apply a new paint of coat to the walls and trim.
These tips will help every seller!
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