If you read the paper and/or listen to the news, what we hear about real estate now is that the market is really tough. So many houses are competing for so few buyers…that’s why, anything and everything you can do to make your house stand out among the crowd is worth the effort. With attention to the “details” and understanding the buyer’s need to visualize your house as their next home, you will increase the salability of your property. It can be difficult to ‘let go of your house’ and see it through someone else’s eyes – but when you put your home on the market, it is in essence no longer your home. By removing your ‘personal’ touches, you are allowing potential buyers to ‘see’ your house through their own eyes. You might LOVE the color fuchsia…not everyone has your sense of “style”. Our goal is to help you stage your house properly to help you achieve the best price obtainable for your property in the shortest period of time.

Our useful tips:

1. CREATE AN INVITING ENTRY – Your want to entice people to “come inside”. If people don’t like what they see on the outside, they may keep on going to the next house and pass you by! Doors are one exception to the neutral-color rule. Rich colors say to prospective buyers: “welcome” and “come inside.” Suggested door colors: chocolate brown, red, black, and charcoal. Also, try using colorful flowers grouped in pots on the porch, stoop or steps.

2. DRESS UP THE PLACE WITH PAINT – It is amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do. Paint not only makes a house look cleaner and better maintained, it also helps cover odors. Choose neutral colors: warm tans, taupes, and/or pastels. The goal is for buyers not to focus on the color of your walls, but the visual space and layout.

3. SIX INEXPENSIVE PROPS TO HAVE ON DISPLAY – A bowl of lemons. Fresh flowers. Spotlights. Candles. Throw blankets and attractive pillows. All these things add life and color to your home.

4. TURN ON THE LIGHTS – Turn on every light in the house-even in the daytime, and open all draperies and blinds! Let the sun shine in through clean windows and doors! Don’t forget to turn on the lights in your closets. Use spotlights behind a couch, in a plant or on either side of a fireplace to add mood and texture. People love “light & bright”…we have seen people walk out of a ‘dark’ house very quickly!

5. USE FURNITURE WISELY – See if you can cut down a quarter to a half of the furniture in every room. Big furniture makes a room seem smaller. A glass top table “seems” smaller than one that is solid wood. Take a picture of each room to gain perspective. Make sure people can move around the room with ease. Remember, you are selling square footage and perception is everything!

6. HIGHLIGHT KEY ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS – Don’t hide your house’s best features such as moldings, leaded glass, lovely fireplaces, behind cabinets, drapes or furniture. Don’t push all the furniture up again a wall; that creates empty space in the middle of the room. Create a gathering place for people to sit and chat and/or share family time together.

7. DEFINE EACH ROOM – Every room should have a clearly defined purpose. If your den or living room currently doubles as an office, take out the desk and make it a “Living Room” or a “Den”. Buyers can get confused if a room has more than one purpose.

8. GET RID OF THE CLUTTER – Go room by room and get rid of anything you don’t need. The less clutter you have, the larger your house will appear. Pack up most of your personal items: children’s trophies, wedding pictures, college banners, toys, etc. Reserve all drawers for your personal necessities like glasses and toothbrushes. People don’t want to see what brand of deodorant you are using! We want people to visualize themselves living there!

9. PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS – Make a list of things to do…and then do them! That means patching any holes in the walls, fixing leaky faucets and replacing burned out light bulbs. Buy fresh towels and put all the toilet lids down. Hide the wastebaskets, organize the contents of your garage or shed.

10. GET OUT THE SCRUB BRUSH – It seems obvious, but some people neglect the most basic way to improve the appearance of their house. Make it squeaky clean!!! Vacuum behind couches and under the beds! Scrub out carpet stains and wash all windows inside and out. Get rid of fingerprints on door frames and walls. Open windows to let in the fresh air.

While we can’t guarantee that following these staging tips will absolutely assure you of putting a SOLD SIGN in your front yard, we can guarantee your house will stand out against the competition! Call us at 218-0511. We have the experience and track record to make the job of selling your current home a success!