I'm sure many sellers have heard of "staging a house". So what is staging? How hard is it to do?  Does it really make a difference? Staging is putting your house in the best light for showing to buyers. Think model home, and you will have a very good idea. The best way to show a house is not how we live in our homes every day. It's more of a look that grabs the buyer's attention as soon as they walk through the door and keeps their attention until they leave.

Staging can really be rather simple and here are some tips for sellers that really want to step ahead of the market. 

1. De-clutter, De-clutter, De-clutter - This cannot be over emphasized. Remove personal items and pack them away. Hey, you are going to be moving pretty fast, so this will give you a head start. Do you have "collections"? Please also pack these away. Collections, as beautiful as they are, are a huge distraction to buyers. I have seen buyers stop and look and a few hours later they can't even remember the house! 

Put personal and family photos away. The buyer's agent is trying their best to make their client feel at home in your house and it's easier to do if the owners' photos aren't sitting on every table and shelf. 

Do you have children with toys? Find a place to hide all the toys or pack up a lot of them. Have nice shelves where you can put any remaining toys. 

2. Remove furniture pieces that are not needed. A room will look larger and more put together with less furniture. With the furniture that you have left, set up conversation areas in your living areas. 

3. Have your kitchen and baths sparkling! Baths should have fresh towels and a flower arrangement on the vanity. Remove your day-to-day toiletries. Buy some plastic containers and store these items under the sink. Each morning just take out your container and everything is right at your finger tips! Last but not least leave the toilet top down. It makes for a much nicer "picture".  Clear your kitchen counter tops of all unneeded items. Make sure your kitchen cabinets are in order. Have your dining room table set with nice china and a center piece.

4. Bedrooms should have neutral colored bedspreads with a couple of pillows. If you want to add an extra punch, have a breakfast tray with china and a rose on the edge of the master bed. 

5. For the rest of the house, paint your house with neutral earth tone colors. This is important. Most buyers cannot look past a house that needs repainting even though it is purely cosmetic. Move accessories around to give a more model home look. Change out any old looking light fixtures and make sure all the bulbs are working.

6. Last by not least, clean everything including windows, carpets, and floors. 

Happy House Selling!

Additional seller tips:

Price Correctly to Get Your House Sold

Linda Breeding

910-690-8368

www.RealEstateInPinehurst.com