Selling A Home, Staging 101

Walk through each room of the house noticing any piles of papers, magazines, untidy areas, and areas of furniture or accessories that your eye immediately goes to. The goal in Staging is to have the home read so clearly that it can sell itself.

Remember you want to see the “bones” of the house, not the sellers “stuff”

Make notes of any area that feels tight because of extra furniture that seems superfluous. Make a focus on items to delete before you look to add.

If furniture feels like it is in a non-traditional place and the eye goes to it to figure out why it is there, suggest it be placed in a traditional way. Example, a desk in the dining room. Move to bedroom to use as a side-table.

Recognize that some clients will be anxious about you creating a report in their home while they are present. It takes less time and you make clearer suggestions if you have the space to yourself to see it with the eyes of a potential buyer.

Remind the seller that you are doing this exercise to recommend things that could help the home sell faster/for more money. Very important!

If your eye travels to a very unsightly piece of furniture, it is better to remove the furniture and leave space than have it there.

Slipcovers can obscure furniture that appears worn.

Adding new, clean faux wood blinds in white or honey tones makes a huge difference for a small investment in a less expensive home. Buyers will read “wood shutters” when they are actually a fraction of the price.

Cover up any obvious visual problems. Fix holes in the walls. Easy fix with putty and touch up paint.

Less is more in the kitchen and bath. A clean kitchen and bathroom can go a long way in a buyer’s market.

Understand that the seller still needs to live in the space. Create a plan for daily items to be put away when the home is being shown.

Vanilla scented candles make a good impression on most people. Get good quality candles for your clients. Beeswax is also a scent that works with most of the population.

Add shades to shabby chandeliers if it makes a visual impact. These can be purchased inexpensively on line or locally at Lamps Plus.

Encourage your client to purchase a wool rug to cover a worn wood floor.

Lighting is key. If the home is shown in the evening, turn on all the lamps. Ambient lighting makes rooms feel warm and inviting.

Provide boxes for your clients to put the clutter in. Boxes can be put in pod storage or in an inconspicuous area. Having a few boxes around can make the buyer feel that the house is being let go of and is ready for them to make a home.

Have professionals clean the carpets and rugs. I have a wonderful carpet cleaner and maid service if you need one. Remind your clients that they need to put a little into the house to get a lot out.

Invest in good silk flowers and trees that you can loan your clients and move from home to home. Many times the seller will want to purchase them from you at an additional cost.

Invest in neutral colored floor pillows. They feel homey in a bedroom or a family room on the floor and can cover up some issues with flooring. These do not have to be expensive and you can move them from home to home.

Encourage the clients to get new bedding and a big fluffy duvet. This will encourage the buyers to see themselves in the bedroom and feel luxurious to the eye.

Paint the rooms. Nothing says home like a fresh coat of paint. Make sure that you select a neutral color that works with the seller’s furniture and will work with many buyer’s furniture. Please call me for assistance if you need it.

Flowers on the exterior. Make sure the yard is mowed and cleaned up. Rule of thumb, it should look better than when the seller lived there.

Rule of thumb, the property and the interior should look better than when the seller lived there. If you say these words, it can help to ease the shock at moving, storing, things.

Let your clients know this is STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE to sell the house for MORE MONEY. They will respond in kind.

10 Jul 2008