North Sound Property News

As an Accredited Staging Professional, one of the services I offer to clients who list with me is assistance with the staging, or preparation, of their home.

The goal of staging your home is making your home appealing to as many buyers as possible.  In a sense, staging is the opposite of decoration.  Decoration is about personalizing your home, where staging is about de-personalizing it.  Successful staging creates the impression of a well-cared for home, demonstrates how spaces can be used, and allows buyers to mentally move in to the home. 

It’s worth the effort—studies show that staged homes sell for 7% more money, and in 50% less time, than homes that are not staged.

Interior

In staging, cleanliness is key.  Buyers are easily distracted.  Keep them focused on why your home is the right one for them, rather than have them notice a sink full of dirty dishes or a dusty shelf.  Clean carpets or drapes that need it.  And don’t forget to clean windows, inside and out.

Odors are also a distraction.  Try to eliminate any unpleasant odors.  A special concern is cooking odors, because a good smell to you, may be a BIG turn-off to a potential buyer. 

Keep pictures, wall art and decorative objects to a minimum, arranged in groups of 1, 3, or 5 items.

Keep kitchen countertops and refrigerator fronts clear of unnecessary items.  This helps the buyer picture how their things will fit in your kitchen.

In the bathroom, clear off all countertops, tubs, shower stalls and commode tops. Toiletries tend to have a limited shelf life anyway, so keep only the items you use regularly, and stow them neatly in the drawers or cabinets.  You may want to put out a basket with a few decorative soaps or candles.  Limit visible towels to one or two coordinating colors.

Rearrange or remove some furniture if necessary. Reducing the amount of furniture makes rooms appear larger.  Try using your furniture to emphasize your home’s best features—if the home is vacant, consider borrowing or renting a few items.

Patch and paint any walls that need it. If your home still has its original paint, new paint is strongly recommended in a neutral color such as taupe or sage. 

If you need room to store extra possessions, use the garage or rent a storage unit. You can rent a portable on-demand storage unit, or “POD,” which can be delivered to your home.  Then you just load it up.  The “POD-people” come and pick it up, store it, and deliver it to your new home when you’re ready.

Think in terms of balance and flow—as you move through your rooms, look for blockages or “dead spaces” and rearrange furniture to eliminate them.  Watch out for unbalanced rooms where all furniture is clustered at one end.  Most importantly, try to keep furniture from blocking doors, windows, and routes of travel into and out of rooms.

Exterior

Make sure gutters and roof are swept and cleaned.  If you see any roof moss or dry rot, consider hiring a roof specialist to fix the problem.  Roof problems are a turn-off to buyers, and a common cause of  failed inspections and transactions failing to close.

Make sure exterior paint and siding are in good condition.  Pay special attention to the front entryway. Consider painting your front door with a contrasting lacquer paint to make your front entryway more inviting.

In staging, we say, “if you can’t see a home, you can’t sell it.”  So make sure your grass is mowed, shrubs are pruned, and garden beds weeded.  Keep plants from blocking windows, entries and walk-ways. 

Weed and then mulch all planting areas. Refresh any bark or gravel that needs it.  Keep lawns freshly cut, edged and fertilized. Remove dead plants or shrubs.  Rake leaves off grass and out of any shrubs or planting areas. 

If your front yard lacks pizzazz, consider planting yellow flowers.  Yellow will contrast with most other foliage and can really make your house “pop” with curb appeal. Small topiary planters (about 3 or 4 feet high) near an entryway are also appealing and can go to your new home when you move.

Clear patios or decks of all small items. such as planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbecues, toys. etc.  Move all garbage cans, discarded wood scraps, extra building materials, etc., into the garage.