Tips for Staging Your House for Selling
The Outside
The first impression starts on the outside. Interested parties will peruse the neighborhoods looking for houses that are for sale in the area. The idea is to make your house stand out above all the rest. It may not be the biggest or the best house on the block but with a few steps it could look very inviting to a buyer. This is called curb appeal.
1. Mow the lawn – There is nothing worse than seeing an over growth of jungle in the front yard. Mowing the lawn will give you instant satisfaction and improve dramatically the way a yard looks.
2. Do some trimming – stand in front of your house and look at all the trees and shrubs within your vision. Could they use a snipping or two. Get rid of old dead branches from bushes and snip off dead dried flowers of plants.
3. Clean the clutter – Store all bikes, skateboards, garden equipment in the garage or out of the view from the street. You want your house to look tidy not like a junk yard.
4. A little paint goes a long way – touch up the trim on your house. This is a quick fix and reasonably inexpensive.
5. Flower pots a plus – Organize a few planted flowers near your front porch. It’s inviting and it looks pretty.
6. Sweep the walk ways – Make a nice clear path that leads to your front door.
7. Windows are mirrors to your house – Wash the windows, make them shine. There’s nothing worse then looking at fingerprinted windows with cobwebs.
The Inside
The second most important thing is the first look at the inside of the house. You did well, you got a potential buyer to call for a showing. Your task now is to keep them interested. A buyer wants to see space, a place that they can make their own. You have to help them with that visualization and to do that you must follow a few rules.
1. Get rid of any unnecessary furniture – You want your home to appear as big and spacious as it can be so take that extra couch or ugly recliner away to storage. Simple is best and less is more.
2. Clean the clutter again – Clear off all counter tops with unnecessary items, store the toaster, hide the mail, and by all means don’t have your dish rack out with dishes still in it. Remove most of your personal photos. After all the buyer would like to picture the house as their own.
3. Floors, floors, floors – Make sure carpet is clean and vacuumed, tile floors washed, hardwood shined. Whatever the floor type, clean it.
4. Windows and mirrors – Make these babies sparkle, yes, just because you cleaned the windows on the outside does not mean that they are cleaned on the inside. Remove toothpaste stains on the bathroom mirrors.
5. Disinfect and clean bathroom – One of the biggest turn offs a buyer can face is a nasty stinky bathroom. Remove the soap scum off the tub and shower, make sure there is no hair in the bathroom sink, put some fresh towels out. Candles also add a nice touch.
6. Laundry is nobody’s business – That’s right, keep the tidy whiteys out of view. It’s best to try to keep up with your laundry by doing it regularly, but if time doesn’t permit, you better have a good hiding place.
7. Bedrooms are a sanctuary – Treat them like one. Make your bed then see item #6 regarding laundry. Keep shoes out of the visual eye. Candles also work well in this area. It creates a peaceful and inviting environment.
8. Freshen up – A nice smelling house is the house for me. If it wreaks like cigarettes, pets, or dirty clothes I wouldn’t even make it into the living room. So please have some air fresheners, candles, plug ins, or bake some cookies for that wonderful home feeling.
9. Music is good for the soul – During a showing, play some soft relaxing music. Not too loud but enough that the ear can pick up.
When you have completed all these steps, invite a friend over for a tour. Get his or her opinion on what you have done. Perhaps they could give you some other great tips. Until then “Happy Selling”
