Staging Your Home for Sale?

So, you’ve decided that you want to sell your property.  You have brought all of the maintenance up to date, but now you need to decide how to present your home for sale.

The first thing to consider is, now that you are listing your home, you can no longer think of it as your personal space. When people look at a prospective home, they want to imagine themselves in that space.

Start by removing personal items such as family portraits, refrigerator magnets & toiletries. Get rid of any clutter where you can. It may be a good idea to rent a small storage space to keep extra items in until you move.

In the kitchen, clear the counters.  Keep only a few decorative items & key items that are often-used; such as a coffee pot.  Take all personal messages & pictures off of the refrigerator doors.

Bathroom spaces can get cluttered quickly. Keep just a few attractive essentials on the counters & neatly folded matching towels in no more than two colors. The tub & showers should only have the absolute necessities. Before putting your house on the market it maybe a great time to add a fresh coat of paint to the walls and to repair any grouting or tile repairs around the bathtub area.

You should also consider taking some furniture to storage.  The more open your space is to the eyes, the bigger your home appears to the prospective buyer.

Rearrange your living space so it is open & symmetrical in design.  Choose sophisticated, neutral colors.  Though you may love it, now is not the time for a lime green couch. Stick to grays & beiges to avoid turning buyers off with colors they can’t relate to. A sophisticated backdrop will make your home look more put together.

Clean out the clutter in your closets! Go one step further & reduce the amount of clothes, shoes & other items. This will open them up & make them feel more roomy.   Think of your closets as another opportunity to showcase your home.

Around your whole home, make sure that all of the nail holes & cracks have been patched & paint touched up.  As you rearrange the furniture, you may see that the floors need some attention as well. Consider getting carpets professionally cleaned.

Great tip to remove those unwanted “dents” left in the rugs after moving a piece of furniture. Place ice cubes in the impressions & allowing them to melt overnight.  The next morning, vacuum & all of the relaxed fibers will spring back into their original upright position.

Now that you have your home looking more open, you can draw attention to the houses best features. Beautiful windows can sparkle with cleanliness. Countertops can gleam.  Wood furniture surfaces can shine.

Another way to draw attention to a home’s special features is adding small pops of color. Think bright pillows, a vase on the mantle or simple drapes.  Don’t go overboard though. Stick to the rule of 3s. Use the color 3 times in the room to make the space look balanced.

Style your dining room table.  Use a pretty centerpiece & set the table with your best dishes.  Prospective buyers will then see themselves in the room enjoying family or entertaining friends.

The master bedroom should appeal to all genders.  If you go too masculine or too feminine, the room may deter buyers as they lose the ability to see themselves in the space.  An open, airy room has the best appeal to most people.  You can’t go wrong with clean, crisp linens, tasteful artwork, & a decorative blanket folded at the foot of the bed.

Lamps are important.  Make sure that you leave the lights on when you leave the house for a showing. Rooms show better with good lamplight.  It is also a good idea to leave soft music playing in the background.  These small touches make your home more appealing to potential buyers & will help your home sell.