Staging Your Home for Sale

What does Staging mean? It means to arrange or prepare a particular area or location to it's best potential. In this case Staging your home is preparing it "For Sale" with the end result being your home is "Sold". Every homeowner wants to receive the highest price possible in a timely fashion. Usually a home does require some careful cleaning and tweaking to prepare it for the market of future home buyers. By giving yourself a week or two to do a "Home Overhaul" it will be sure to pay off in the end result. For some of us the idea of Staging our home is great, but you might feel insecure in your own abilities to do the job correctly. There are more and more professional Home Staging businesses on the market today and it would be worth your while to seek their advice. Be sure to ask for a complimentary home evaluation to review their services and suggestions.

If you have made the decision to tackle this project yourself...Good for You! I will give you some basic guidelines to follow, they may not all apply to you but overall I'm sure there will be something from each catagory that you will find helpful.

Wrap your mind around the idea that your home is no longer going to be yours. You know how you would walk into a new home for sale yourself, the first thing you are probably doing is trying to "imagine" it as being "your home". It won't be any different for the person coming to view your home, so the first rule of thumb is to de-personalize your space. As lovely as we might think all our family heirlooms might be, they probably are not to a potential buyer. A few classic pieces might be alright, but don't have the entire Family Tree displayed on the wall or every ornament you ever received plunked around the entire house. When it looks like your just "filling space with stuff" its an automatic turn-off to the buyer and it might be something they have difficulty in looking past. You want to display your rooms features, not your personal items.

Next I'd like you to De-Clutter. I can't stress or say this enough but it can usually be the deal breaker if the potential buyer just can't see your home because of clutter. No matter how neat and tidy you might think you are we all have some clutter. If there are items you rarely use then look at donating or giving them away. If it's something of significant importance to you then get a box and pack it away for your move that you will eventually be making. This is a great way of doing two thing at once while Staging your home at the same time. Making your home look spacious and roomy can often be done by de-cluttering alone. Clear all countertops leaving only the essentials out. Anything that you use often but can be stored elsewhere or in other containers would be good, that way when the buyer see's a clean countertop and opens a cupboard and see's tidy containers it all gives the illusion of having space, and buyers like that.

Tidy up Cabinets and Closets. We sometimes forget this important area. You won't know if your buyer is down-sizing or if your home is an increase in space, but either way buyers are always looking for that precious commodity that we call "space". Kitchen cabinets are noted for opening them and something landing on your head, do your homework here and it will be returned when you start to pack up for your moving day. Foyer and bedroom closets need to be rearranged. If possible store seasonal ware in boxes out of sight. Possibly the rental of a small storage unit would make sense if you don't have any free space to store things tidily. If clothes haven't been worn for over a year then they just need to find a way to your Garage Sale or to your local charity store. Having nice hangers not only looks good, but you'll be using them at your next home so it's never a waste to purchase more if you have too. Be sure your linen closet has items folded and organized as to towels or bed linens and by making things tidy it gives that illusion of...you guessed it..."SPACE".

If you are planning on taking your appliances, window coverings, special lighting fixtures or a feature item, you need to remove them prior to listing your home for sale. Without fail if you think you can wrangle some extra dollars out of your sale by "holding them hostage" that is usually the quickest way to have your sale fail. Usually when a buyer has seen those extra goodies you have in your home, they pretty much expect it will be included and when they find out otherwise, it just makes for sticky negociating. Consult with your real estate expert as to how to best approach this matter.

Giving your home a "Mini-Makeover" is a must. Go room by room and jot down all the little jobs that you said bothered you or you'd get too next week and look at what is necessary to show the room better. If you have doors or drawers that stick or don't close properly thats an easy but small fix. Anything plumbing should not be leaking. You don't want bowls under sinks and towels wrapped around pipes as that is a BIG flag that problems are brewing. No faulty wiring can be tolerated and replace light bulbs that are burned out. If there are any holes in the drywall it would be best to repair and paint. If you have been adventerous in your paint choices then considering a change to an overall neutral color might be best. Remember that most likely your buyer will want a home inspection, so leaving some of these small items only adds up to being bigger issues down the road.

Cleanliness equals Shine. When selling your home there is no such thing as over-cleaning. Not all buyers are super clean and detail orientated but at the other end of the scale there will be a buyer just like that....just like ME! Nothing can have me turning up my nose and running back out the door than an untidy and dirty home. Cleaning does not require much money but lots of elbow grease. Make sure you get to all the jobs that you have been putting off. I've got a list here that should give you a good start at attacking the Grime. Don't be afraid to open windows and let in Fresh Air. What a concept! You don't want to make your famous chili or spaghetti sauce just before a viewing. Odours kept to a minimum is good and that includes pet odours as well. If a buyer smells your meal, your laundry and your animal two steps into the home then you won't be off to a good start.

Clean cobwebs,sweep sidewalks and driveways. Wash windows inside and out, you'll be surprised even when they look clean an extra cleaning makes all the difference. Sweep and Vaccum floors on a daily basis and don't forget to dust. You'll need to be re-touching the dusting at least every second day. Be sure your appliances are clean both inside and out because buyers actually do open them up and look inside. Make sure all toilet seats are down, thats an area where we absolutely don't want any surprises. Fresh linens hung and maybe some potpourri would be nice to gently scent the bathroom. Be sure the tile and caulking in your shower and tub areas are clean, it is a cheap fix to replace the old and tired caulking with fresh, its an instant facelift in the bathroom. When you know you have a "showing" make sure you have turned your lighting on and your drapery's are open to reflect maximum light into the space. Most of us prefer not living in a dark hole.

Last but not least is the outside of your home, otherwise known as Curb Appeal. The outside presentation of your home is just as important as the inside. One without the other and the job is only half done. Keep the grass mowed and flowerbeds weeded and watered. Dead grass and flowers isn't a look that buyers would want either. If your shrubs are in need of a "hair-cut" make sure you tend to that and if your unable then consider a landscaping contractor to assist you. Bushes and shrubs blocking driveways or walkways doesn't help a potention buyer "enter" your home. Double check the front porch light is working and the front door is well illuminated. Make sure the house numbers are legible from the street or if the numbers are weathered and yucky looking then replacing them would be best. If you need to add a punch of color to the front door area consider new seasonal bedding plants, hanging baskets, planter boxes, or vases, they will give alot of impact for the price.

Now...next time your driving up to your home approach it as if you were going to buy it! See the difference? All your hard work and efforts will probably be noticeable right away. From the time you pull into the driveway and right through the front door, you will appreciate all your extra work and realize that it has not been a waste of time, but an increase in your Bottom Line!

Written by Sharon @ IDQ