Make more on your home by LOSING your SHIRT !!

By
Real Estate Sales Representative with ERA Sunrise Realty 302749 GAR Broker

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Staging Your Home to Sell Faster and Make More Money

The goal of staging your home is to remove enough of your personal items to allow the would-be buyers to visualize their own decor and style in the home.

Take a walk through your home and check for bad paint, stained carpet, blown light bulbs, dirty floors or counters and anything else that may need repaired, replaced or cleaned. Make a list of items that needs done.

--Painting will make the most impact and is the easiest place to start. If you have bold colors or chips out of your paint you will need to repaint or repair the walls. Choose neutral colors when repainting.

--Make sure that all of your light bulbs are working and that every room has good lighting. You can add some lamps to enhance the look of a room and make it appear larger.

--Remove all personal items from your walls and stands and replace them with art. You don't want the prospective buyer to get wrapped up in your personal life or envision your kids running around the house instead of their own.

--Clean your bathroom from top to bottom. Make sure that your personal items aren't in sight when you show the house. Clean or replace shower curtains, scrub the shower doors and bathtub. Put out some nice new towels and decorative soaps or candles. Check to see if your tile needs grouted or replaced. Replace any flooring that is to dirty to clean or dated.

--Remove the coffee pot, toaster and other clutter form the kitchen counters that may make your would-be buyer feel as though the kitchen is smaller than it really is. Polish the wood cabinets, scrub the sink and clean out the refrigerator and dishwasher. Some buyers will look in your refrigerator or cabinets, as some buyers will actually open them to check them out.

--Put extra furniture, stained furniture, plastic plants, DVDs and unusual items in storage. Buy a few fresh, colorful pillows for the couch and some new rugs to brighten up spaces. Put some fresh flowers on the table and light a few candles. Turn on lamps for ambient lighting and pop some cookies in the oven a half hour before the showing so you can put them out for your potential buyers and make the kitchen smell inviting. If you have a home theatre you can put in a movie to show off the surround sound or pop popcorn and place in the room.

--Be sure to accent anything that is unique or special about your home and make it stand out to attract as much attention as you possibly can.

MOST IMPORTANTLY ----  LOSE YOUR SHIRTS!  

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Comments (7)

Susan Brown
Keller Williams NE, Kingwood Texas (Humble & Atascocita too) - Kingwood, TX

Maria - Good list for self-staging.  You would think that most of this is common sense - but some people really need a push.

Feb 16, 2010 05:33 AM
Wayne and Lynda Gomillion
Real Living Hagan Realtors | Pinehurst ~ Southern Pines, NC - Pinehurst, NC

It's amazing to me how some alleged sellers do nothing to prepare for a showing... Not a problem if the buyer is Stevie Wonder.

Feb 16, 2010 05:34 AM
Kay Van Kampen
RE/MAX Broker, RE/MAX - Springfield, MO
Realtor®, Springfield Mo Real Estate

Maria, I know what home I'd buy if I was looking at the comparables.  I'm surprised sellers don't see the same.  Great post.

Feb 16, 2010 11:50 AM
Gary Swanson
Century 21 Harris & Taylor - Grants Pass, OR

Great post Maria.  If people would only walk through their homes as if they were consider buying it, I think most people would see what they need to do.

Feb 16, 2010 04:33 PM
Debbie Walsh
Shahar Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

Great post Maria.  The side by side pictures are perfect for the point you are trying to make. 

Feb 17, 2010 05:10 AM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Maria...Good comparison...Most people don't appreciate the lived in look...Thanks

Feb 18, 2010 07:16 AM
Jared Hokanson
Hokanson Realty & Jared Realty Group - Medford, OR
Your Home Sold, GUARANTEED!*

Simple suggestions, yet very good ones for helping sellers getting their home ready to sell.

Feb 22, 2010 02:15 PM

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