What should you do before you sell?

What should you do before you sell?

"Home Staging" is more than just preparing to sell your home by making it look the best it can.  It's really the art of first impressions.  For many home sellers and real estate agents, the concept of "home staging" is being more frequently recognized and used to effectively promote and market a home in the marketplace.  However, while real estate agents are experts in the field of selling houses and closing the sale, many are not experts in design.  If you are in the process of, or thinking about selling your home, you may want to consider hiring a professional home stager to assist you.  They work with the "flow" of a home, eliminate clutter, add, eliminate and/or arrange furniture, lighting and accessories and even assist in enhancing curb appeal.

Here are some tips on what you can do to improve your home's "first impression":

Start at the Curb

Curb appeal is the first step to selling your home.  No one wants to buy a previous owner's dirty house.

• Power wash the siding
• Wash the windows until they shine
• Trees, shrubs and flowers should be neat and tidy
• Weed the garden and have the lawn mowed and edged

• Remove everything that isn't necessary

• Add touches such as large, lush flower pots or hanging planters to welcome visitors

Move Inside

Once you've created a promising exterior, you need to focus on the interior.  The key to staging is to make it meaningful, set the tone and suggest countless possibilities.  That means you need to remove everything that could distract the buyer's attention.  Keep only what you must to remain functional.  If you don't use something everyday, pack it for the move.  Like the exterior, the inside needs to be neat and clean.  If paint is showing signs of age, repaint.  Neutrals often work the best.

Once the house is clean, stage your home with minimal furnishings.  If you need inspiration, visit model homes to see how decorators have put some rooms together. 

• Strip the kitchen down to necessities
• Counters should be clear, except for a decoratively placed bowl of fruit or bouquet of fresh flowers

It's not necessary for individual rooms to be used for their original purpose as long as the functions they represent are logical and show space off well.

Consider a "walk through" or "walk and bid" consultation with a reputable Staging company as the final step to prepare your home.  A Stager can visualize what you have addressed and see other factors that may not be obvious to you, but may be seen as glaring problems to a buyer.  Many home Staging companies provide these services as well as a full stage, all at different price points according to what your home's needs are and your budget dictates.

• Remove anything personal such as family pictures and mementos
• Edit books, CD's, and videos on bookshelves
• Arrange furniture to enhance the strengths of the room and facilitate traffic flow
• If your furniture shows signs of age, consider borrowing pieces
• Open the curtains to allow natural light to fill the room

On showing appointments or open house days, appeal to the buyer's sense of smell.  Hot apple cider, cinnamon rolls, or fresh baked cookies add a "homey" smell.  You can even rent a scent machine from staging companies.

Your Do-it-Yourself Home Staging Checklist Prior to Listing and Showing your Home

• Are all counter tops clean and clear?

• Have you removed the unnecessary furniture the Staging Company addressed throughout the house?

• Is the refrigerator clean and clear?

• Are shower curtains clean and hung properly?

• Is the flooring clean and fresh?

• Is paint and wallpaper fresh and clean?

• Are the walls free from cracks and holes?

• Is there anything on the walls that need to be removed?

• Is the carpet clean and free from stains?

• Are hard surface floors clean and free from stains?

• Are the windows clean?

• Are the draperies and blinds clean?

• Remove any signs that this is a pet's home

• Air out the home prior to showings

• Set the mood prior to showings

• Open drapes and blinds

• Turn on the radio to a soft music station, set the volume low

• Provide a warm, welcoming aroma