Lisa's Top 10 Easiest Staging Tips

The simple fact is that, the better your home looks, the more likely someone will want to buy it. When I accept a listing, I work closely with my client to make sure their home shows to its best advantage. This helps to ensure that their home sells quickly and for more money than competing homes.

If you are thinking of selling your home, here are my "Top 10" easiest things you can do to make your house show well to prospective buyers:

1. Lightbulbs
   Homes with lots of light are more appealing to buyers than dark homes. For the duration of the time your home is on the market, you should make certain that every light in your house has lightbulbs, and every light bulb in your house works. If you have dark rooms or dark corners in rooms, add lamps to lighten them up.
   

2. De-Clutter the Fridge and Clean Kitchen Appliances
   Almost everyone has refrigerator magnets, kids' artwork, grocery lists, etc. stuck to their refrigerator. Remove them all and clean all visible surfaces of the refrigerator. While you're there, you might want to put a fresh box of baking soda in the fridge and freezer. Then make sure the surface of all your appliances are clean (particularly the cooktop!). Even if your appliances aren't new, they'll look much better to buyers if they are spotlessly clean than if they have years of baked on grease and gunk.
   

3. Clean All Reflective Surfaces
   It is very obvious when reflective surfaces are not immaculately clean. Bathroom mirrors, glass shower enclosures, tiled shower surrounds, stone or tile countertops, etc. These need to stay completely clean throughout the time your home is on the market, as do stainless steel appliances, which tend to show fingerprints.
   

   

4. Clean All Windows
   It's amazing how grimy windows can get and how much brighter homes look once they have been cleaned (inside and out). Unless you have truly unattractive views, open window dressings as well when the house will be shown so sunlight will brighten up the space. And don't forget glass doors!
   

5. Declutter and Organize All Closets
   It seems that no matter how large or small our closets are, most people will fill them beyond capacity. Every home buyer wants to believe that they will have enough closet space to contain all their stuff, so if your closets appear insufficient for your needs, buyers will assume they are also insufficient for theirs. Remove anything you don't have to have and organize everything else so that it is exceptionally neat.
   

6. Control Odors
   Cigarette smoke, cat and dog smells, musty closets, and strong cooking odors all have a profound psychological effect on buyers. Controlling odors is absolutely essential during the time your home is on the market. This is one of the times when brutal honesty is the best policy because the chances are that you have become so accustomed to the smell of your home that you will not notice if there is an odor that potential buyers will find objectionable. Once you identify any kind of odor problem, you must mitigate it -- clean or remove carpets, clean and paint walls, etc. Remember that smell is an important memory trigger. If people think of your home and remember the smell of smoke or cat urine, that is going to color their impression of the house regardless of any other factor.
   

7. Toys, Photos, and Artwork
   Children's toys should be confined to children's rooms and neatly organized there. If you have a designated children's playroom it's okay to have toys in there as well, but it is extremely important to make sure everything is well organized. Personal photos should be removed throughout the house. Likewise, if you have artwork that would be considered controversial or distracting to anyone, you should remove it. In particular, religious-themed artwork, nudes, sexually suggestive artwork, or artwork with a strong political viewpoint should be removed.
   

8. Pre-Packing and Boxes
   Most people have more stuff in their home than they really need on a day-to-day basis. Wherever possible, it is highly preferable to prepack as much of your stuff as possible. This will declutter and depersonalize the space and make it look more spacious at the same time. Once everything is boxed, the issue of where to put the boxes comes into play. Off-site storage units are the most aesthetic choice, but they can be expensive. If you have a basement, garage or attic, then neatly stacking boxes in one part of that space is the next best choice. If the boxes must go inside the house, the best alternative is to use the smallest unoccupied bedroom. Fill the closet with boxes first then neatly stack the remaining boxes in a corner that is not visible from the doorway. If there are no other options and you must put boxes in a highly visible space within the home, just make sure they are stacked as neatly as possible and take up as little space as possible.
   

9. Clothes, Shoes, Towels and Dishes
   During the entire time your home is on the market, it is essential that you do not leave clothes or shoes scattered around the house. During the winter, jackets and coats should be organized in one spot (preferably inside a coat closet). Shoes should not be left at the door unless you have a mudporch with a shoe cupboard. Keeping laundry done is also very important. Overflowing laundry hampers not only make closets look cluttered, they are also likely to make them smell musty -- neither is a good thing when buyers open the closet door. In the kitchen, make sure there are never dirty dishes in the sink or on the counters. At worst, they should be in the dishwasher although it is highly preferable to keep dishes done every evening and put away. Fresh clean towels should be put in every bathroom. Do not drape damp towels over the shower doors or on hooks behind doors.
   

10. Paint
    Painting is the best way to update the look of a space quickly and cheaply. Choosing the correct color for your space is vitally important. You need a color that will appeal to the widest number of potential buyers. We will be happy to assist you in the selection of appropriate paint colors for your home.
    

If you successfully address each of these 10 basic issues, you can be sure that your home will show better than many other homes on the market. We will be happy to consult with you personally regarding additional steps you may want to take in preparing your home for market.

Copyright © 2006 Lisa Crowder, e-PRO