If you want to sell your home for top dollar, it is to your advantage to stage it.  Research shows that properly staged homes can fetch up to 4% more in sale price than non-staged homes. With that said, many homeowners still choose to not do staging insisting buyers are buying the house and not their personal property.  This is true, however; prospective home buyers can easily be swayed in the wrong direction by a cluttered or unfinished home.

Staging a home to sell can range anywhere from a proper listing price, exterior and interior maintenance, furniture placement and cleanliness.  Your Realtor should be able to help you with staging ideas to sell your home but also refer a full time accredited stager for more detailed work and information.

Home Staging Tips:

1. Price your property correctly the first time.  This is done by reviewing comparable sold and active properties in your area.  Buyers will look at the same comps and will base offers on what the market will support.
2. Prepare the exterior by touching up the paint, adding fresh flowers, trimming those trees and bushes, adding a fresh coat of black sealant to the driveway and even something as simple as a new welcome mat at the front door.
3. Give your entire house a deep clean — this means windows, window tracks, bathrooms, floors, trim, cabinets, light fixtures, bedrooms and utility rooms.
4. Make sure your home is bright and well lit— Go through and check to insure all bulbs are working properly and are enough wattage for the area.
5. De-clutter the house from top to bottom not forgetting the closets and cabinets.  Cluttered or unorganized homes show smaller and don’t allow buyers to see the advantages your home has to offer.
6. Repaint areas of the home that currently have bright or very dark colors.  The best way to present a home is neutral (not sterile and cold white) but warm earth tones.  Although it coordinates with your furniture, the current colors may not be for everyone.  This is an inexpensive way to freshen up your rooms and appeal to a broader range of buyers.
7. Let in some fresh air… To appeal to all the buyers senses, make sure the first smells they experience are welcoming ones.  Litter boxes and garbage cans should be changed before each showing.
8. Replace those worn out entry way rugs, bedspreads, shower curtains and even hand towels.  All these items are relatively inexpensive and add a nice crisp and clean feeling to a home.
9. Don’t forget the flowers!  You don’t need to spend a fortune to have fresh flowers throughout your home, however; even a single daisy in a bud vase will brighten up a bathroom counter.  Ask your florist which blooms last a week.  You can also use potted flowering plants that are in season for a low-cost solution.

Although it is difficult to do, walk through with a buyer’s eye, not a homeowner’s eye.  What do you see?  The issues you see are the very same issues the buyer will and could prevent you from selling your home.

When Staging — Some things not to do are:

1. Rationalize that a higher asking price means you will have more room to negotiate.  You could wind up sitting idle on the market losing potential buyers each day.
2. Neglect that “honey do” list- finish those small projects before putting the house on the market.
3. Use too much air freshener… The idea is to welcome not to overwhelm their senses.  Even freshly baked cookies can warm up the kitchen.
4. Leave bills and/or private papers out.  You want to show as much counter space as possible.
5. Organize by stuffing the closets.  Closet space is important to many buyers and they need to be able to see the potential storage space.
6. Give the family dog free roam of the house.  Consider kenneling or putting the dog in a small area such as the garage or laundry room for showings.
7. Forget about the exterior — remember people can buy on emotion and because you only get one chance at a first impression…make it count.
8. Pack away decorating items that can distract a buyer from seeing your home at its full potential.
9. Remain in the home for showings. Buyers need to feel at ease and free to look around at their convenience.

Staged Properties Bring More Money

It’s true…they do!  It may not make your $199,900 house a $209,900 house, however; it will get you better buyers with better offers.  Staging a home to sell does not require a lot of money.  It usually requires an open mind and a weekend of your time.  This time could have huge impact and get you a faster, stronger offer.  Our agents can help you with staging ideas and suggestions as well as recommend full time home stagers to assist you if needed. Put yourself ahead of your competition…Call The Derrick Monroe Group at 612-282-SOLD (7653).