Often Sellers ask me what's all the buzz about Staging a Home for Sale. What exactly is Home Staging and does it really work? The answer as my 8 year old niece says, "OMG does it!". YES, staging a home DOES work, and I can testify to the fact. I have worked with many different types of Buyers from first time buyers to Million Dollar buyers, and they all react the same to a beautifully decorated and immaculate Home. They fall in love and want the home. So what is staging. Staging is decorating and displaying furniture to maximize the effects and layout of a home. But I like to take this one level further. It's a total preparedness for marketing a home besides just making a home look and smell good. Yes, you need to de-clutter. Yes, you may need to paint the walls a more neutral color and decorate a dinner table with placemats and such. But if you really want to sell your home fast and for the most money, then make the Buyers believe your home is worth the value just as you do. To begin, prior to calling your Real Estate Agent you need to walk through your home room by room and make a list of everything you need to do to get prepared. Not decorating and layout, but cleaning and fixing everything that needs to be done. You need to clean out closets, (donate, donate, donate) it's either now or during the move, so why not do it prior to add more value. You need to clean and organize closets, you need to make sure that the doors close properly, the closet shevling is tight, that the light bulbs are replaced, and that everything in each room is scrubbed to the max. EXTRA CLEAN HOMES SELL FASTER! I once had a couple that decided on a home by whether or not there was any mold around the caulk in a bath tub. Clean everything! I mean even wipe down the furnace and Hot water heater, and clean out that food pantry. Curb appeal is the next task. Mow, trim, water, and clean off the driveway. Paint the front door, remember first impressions matter in more ways than just meeting someone. After all of this is done, then focus on Staging your home. I know your home is on the market but you still feel more comfortable watching your TV from your lounge chair over here, but with that Chair over here it blocks the room flow and makes the room appear smaller. Also, please remember "Not everyone likes your taste, and you do not like everything else's taste", life would be boring then. If you like the taste of a quick sale at a better price then don't worry about what a stager says, they do not say something to upset you, they are talking from experience. Do you need to put money into getting your home ready for the market, yes! I say put aside if possible at least $500 that would be great. Fix everything that is broken, spend alittle on getting the carpets cleaned, paint some walls in a updated color, change out some throw pillows from Target to match, and plant new flowers and such. Watch HGTV and see how a little can go a long way! One last thought, I have had some Sellers tell me that they will do this along the way of marketing the home. DON'T, each person that walks through is a lost chance to sell, and a lost chance is wasted time and money. Get your home absolutely ready, and then put it on the market and relax. Makes sense doesn't it? Would you believe I have seen science projects in the works in most of the homes I have shown? Under-ware hanging? Doors falling off? Then the Realtors call me for feedback, now what am I suppose to say?
Until Later-Karen
Remember you only get 1 chance to make the 1st and best impression!