Staging Your Home to Sell

Set the Mood

As with a romantic encounter, selling your home or not selling your home can depend on how you set the mood. Remember, buyers are human, and humans oftentimes base decisions on their emotional state.

Buyers Want Space

First of all, it is a good idea to remove any clutter you may have including shelves dripping with bric-a-brac, unnecessary furniture and the clutter on that catch all table near the front door.  The fewer items in a given room, the bigger the room will appear. And people want space!

Ask yourself, is my home dated? Take a look around and try to pretend you are the potential buyer. Are the paint color(s) and wallpaper from the 1980s? Are the appliances 30 years old? If so, a fresh coat of paint can go a long way in enticing the buyer. Keep in mind, white will make a room appear bigger. Choosing colors based on your taste may very well be an exercise in futility as the buyers’ tastes will most likely differ from yours anyway. And, you are hoping to not be around to enjoy the new colors anyway.

Don’t forget to clean out the closets either. Closet space is also a major consideration for potential buyers. Removing clutter from the house and hiding it in a closet or spare bedroom is generally not conducive to the effort of trying to create a spacious feel.

Light also goes a long way in creating an inviting space. You want your potential buyers to see your house as a warm, inviting place they would want to call home. Open all the curtains and blinds and turn on a light in each room. If you have a den or library, leaving this one room a little darker can create a sense of solace, representing a place for the new homeowner(s) to retreat.  Fresh cut flowers and the aroma of something baking, or just baked can also go a long way to creating that warm home feel.

What’s Underfoot Counts

Take a look at the floors in your house. Does the carpet need cleaning? Are the wood or tiled floors dull and dingy? It may behoove you to hire a professional to clean or restore those dull floors prior to showing your home to buyers. Consider the fact that many potential buyers have young children. Look around your home and ask yourself, would I want my child crawling around on these floors?

A Lived in Look appeals

While you want to ensure your home is clean and in order for your buyers’ perusal, you don’t want it to look like a model home. You want people to see your house as a home, not necessarily a showpiece. You want to be certain everything is clean and tidy, but you don’t want it to look as thought the chamber maid has just finished in the bedrooms. The beds being made is important, but turned down with mints on the pillows may be going a little too far.

Leave a coffee table book or tw on the coffee table, and a few magazines in the bathroom(s). Remember, people are generally shopping for a home, not necessarily a house.

These are just a few basic tips for staging your home to help it sell. For a more comprehensive staging of your home, contact Susie Wilson at North Beach Realty Vero 772.589.4112.