How to Prepare Your Home for Sale- Let’s Stage It!
(Part 6)
Now it’s time to have some fun! You’ve done the hard work editing, repairing, refreshing, and replacing items in your house.
It is time to style and showcase your house! You want buyers to see what it has to offer them.
preparing your home for sale.
Remember that staging is not decorating. Staging is about making sure your house will appeal to a broad range of buyers. It is about showing the livability that they’re looking for.
LET THE TRAFFIC FLOW
You have the perfect place for your easy chair to watch television BUT you’ll want to move it if your buyer has to crawl around it to reach your patio door.
Avoid the furniture against the wall placement. No…it will not make the room look larger.
MAKE SURE BUYERS CAN SEE THE FOCAL POINT OF EACH ROOM
What’s the first thing your buyer’s eyes will travel to? Make it stand out! If it’s the desk in your office, get rid of the stacks of paper and cable wires. Add a plant.
Stand at the entry of each room and what stands out? Does it look appealing and make you want to enter the room?
SHOW THE PURPOSE OF EACH ROOM
If you’ve been using your dining room as your remote office, it’s time to turn it back into a dining room.
Turn your “junk” room into a bedroom or an office.
CHECK THE LIGHTING
Most of the homes I’ve staged lack enough lighting. If the only light in your bedroom is the overhead light, then you need to add a lamp or two. Even on the sunniest day, rooms can be dark and uninviting.
DON’T OVERWHELM THE BUYER’S EYES
Just because a surface is flat doesn’t mean you have to cover it with things. Buyers are looking at the space your house offers…not the things.
ADD SOME POP
While it’s good to keep your paint neutral, you also don’t want your buyers to walk out thinking your house is “ok”. You can add a pop of color with the cushions on your sofa or flowers on your countertop.
REMOVE ANYTHING THAT DETRACTS OR DISTRACTS
Too many personal photos can distract your buyer from seeing the rest of the house. And yes, they also make the buyer feel like they’re visitors and not future homeowners there.
Anything too taste-specific can detract the buyer from seeing themselves in the house.
HAVE SOMETHING LIVING IN THE HOUSE
Add strategically placed green plants or a bowl of lemons in the kitchen. Flowers (real) in the entry are always welcoming.
CHECK YOUR CURB APPEAL and PATIO AREA
Refresh plants and shrubs. Add a pop of color and a new doormat at the front door. Store your tools. Create inviting areas for relaxing!
AVOID EATING UP FLOOR SPACE
Remember, buyers are looking at how much space your house has. This is a good time to remove small throw rugs. In fact, do what you can to remove anything on the floor. (pet dishes, garbage cans, etc)
THINK IN THREES
When arranging items on your bookshelf (that you’ve already edited) or table, group them in 3’s rather than a straight line of objects all in line like little soldiers. Add varying heights.
Have fun when you’re staging your house. Have a friend/neighbor walk through and critique what you’ve done. Hire the services of a home stager!
And…do what you did when you started preparing your home for sale. Take photos and upload them to your computer. Like what you see??