If you're thinking that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you may be contemplating a move, which means selling your current home.  While money isn't everything, getting top dollar and a speedy sale is what most sellers hope to accomplish when they put their homes on the market.  In today's market, that is easier said than done unless you properly prepare your home for sale.  Here is a look at how some common proverbs might be adapted to useful tips when preparing your home for sale.  

Proverb #1 - As you sow, so shall you reap

Translation:  The more effort you put into preparing your house for sale, the more it will pay off in time and money.  Home staging is a vital part of preparing your house for sale because it focuses on showcasing its best features and attributes. 

Proverb #2 - An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Translation:  If you take the time to properly prepare your house before putting it on the market, it will save you in the long run.  A buyer’s perception of how much it will cost for needed repairs and upgrades is often much higher than the actual cost.  That perception will cost you a bundle at the closing table.  Make the repairs and upgrades before putting your house on the market so that you’re in a position to negotiate for the best price.

Proverb #3 - First things first

Translation:  Stage it, list it, sell it.  While it is still beneficial to have your house professionally staged after it’s been listed and shown, the best results happen when you stage first, then list and show.

Proverb #4 - Strike while the iron is hot

Translation:  When a house is listed for sale, it receives the most buyer traffic and interest within the first 30 days.  Your house needs to be showplace ready on day one, not on day 31. 

Proverb #5 - Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face

Translation:  Many people wrongly assume that they can’t afford to spend money on a house they’re selling.  They wonder how home staging can be cost-effective.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’re saving money by not investing in professional home staging.  In reality, neglecting to properly prepare your house for sale, which includes professional home staging, will cost you extra in both time and money - extra time on the market and extra money in the buyer's pocket.   

Proverb #6 - If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well

Translation:  If your house is worth selling, it’s worth having it professionally staged.

Proverb #7 - Better to be safe than sorry

Translation:  Better to have your house professionally staged and know that you’ve done everything within your power to get a quicker and more profitable sale than to be sorry that you didn’t give yourself that competitive edge.  You’ll always wonder if you could have sold for more – or more quickly - if you had staged.

Proverb #8 - Procrastination is the thief of time

Translation:  And in the case of selling a house, procrastination can also be the thief of profit.  To sell your house as quickly and as profitably as possible, price it right, address needed repairs and upgrades, and have it professionally staged.

Proverb #9 - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Translation:  Never assume that buyers are going to love your house “just the way it is” as much as you do.  Professional home stagers are practiced in the art of neutralizing taste-specific décor so that it appeals to a broad range of buyers.  You must remember that once you make the decision to sell your house, it becomes a product.  Packaging that product for market appeal is the specialty of a professional home stager.   

Proverb #10 - Never judge a book by its cover

Translation:  What your home looks like on the outside is not necessarily a reflection of what it looks like on the inside.  It would be nice if all buyers lived by those words.  But why leave that to chance?  Curb appeal is an important part of the total home staging package.  Don’t neglect the exterior of your house when you’re preparing it for the market, and remember that the first impression starts at the curb!!!

Proverb #11 - The end justifies the means

Translation:  The price you’ll get for your professionally staged house makes the cost of staging worth the investment.  Statistics show that sellers who spend up to $1,000 on home staging recoup almost 200% of the cost in the sale of their house.

Proverb #12 - Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

Translation:  If your house isn’t selling, and you can’t honestly say you’ve done everything within your power to properly prepare your house for sale, then do something to change that TODAY.  Call a professional home stager!!

Proverb # 13 - A single conversation with a wise man is worth a month’s study of books

Translation:  Hobby decorators and armchair stagers are not well-equipped to stage their own homes.  While books and TV shows can be fun and informative for do-it-yourselfers, remember that selling a house is not a hobby.  It is serious business that can cost you tens of thousands of dollars if you make a mistake in how you present your house.  A professional home stager has the training and expertise to properly showcase your home’s architectural features, focal points, square footage and intended use and purpose of space.  Professional home stagers know how to package your home to appeal to potential buyers on an emotional level, and are knowledgeable about current home trends as relates to color, home features, and what buyers are looking for. 

Room Revisions Home Staging and Redesign can help you prepare your home for sale.  We work with vacant and owner-occupied homes serving Fredericksburg, Virginia; Stafford County, Virginia, and surrounding areas.  Visit our website at www.room-revisions.com.