Tips for Staging a House to Sell

If you want to get the best possible price for your home, one of the key steps is to make sure that it is in prime condition for showing. There are several areas that need to be taken care of in order for buyers to believe that this is the house for them. Here are some ways in which you can make sure your house has appeal to buyers.

Tour your home as if you were a buyer

Glen carbon home Go out in the afternoon, and get yourself in the state of mind of a buyer. When you get back to your house, start making notes as soon as you open the door (and use a pen and paper so you don’t forget!).

First of all, determine if there are any strange smells that hit you coming in. Often we get used to smells in our homes that other people might pick up on right away. A big item here is odors from pets or babies. Cat litter can be powerful, and you will want to get it out of the house well before a showing. Even state of the art diaper genies can let some smell leak out into the baby’s room and the rest of the house, and you will want to avoid this by taking the diapers right out when they are changed. You should also think about obtaining some air freshener, just make sure it is subtle.

As you walk through the house, keep your ears open. If it is a warmer month, turn your heater up and see how it sounds when it comes on; even a little buzz will be multiplied in the ears of a potential buyer. The same principle applies to air conditioning and water works.

Take note of the carpet, floors, and ceiling. Any spots or stains will have to be removed before a buyer shows up; this is true for the walls as well.

Note any cluttered areas; they will leave the impression that your house is too small for some buyers. You want to make sure that there is the perception of ample room; offices/dens and closets in particular are places where goods seem to accumulate. Throw out or sell anything that is not essential, just don’t have it sitting there when people start to come by.

Exterior

The exterior should never be forgotten when it comes to staging your house; first impressions can mean everything, and you want the first one a potential buyer has to be favorable. Pay particular attention to the roof as good agents will always note the roof first for their buyers. If there are loose shingles you will need to have the roof looked at. A roof in good repair is one of those areas that won’t really fetch you extra money, but will cost you if it is left undone. The same principle applies to any fences you have; make sure they are in good repair.

Next, take a look at your parking. When there is a showing coming up, you should have all your cars out of the driveway, especially if your parking is limited. Having to park on the street will send a bad signal to the potential buyer immediately.

Your yard should be absolutely free of clutter, and any gardens or flower beds weeded and well tended. Trees and bushes need to be pruned or trimmed, and the grass cut to an appropriate length. The goal here is to create an impression of effortless upkeep, even though both you and the buyer will know that maintenance needs to be done.

Getting all of the major stuff out of the way will mean that when a showing is booked, all you will have to do is some spot cleaning in order to get your house looking its best. In the final check before the showing, make sure that you pay special attention to the cleanliness of the entryways, the kitchen, and the bathrooms. These are often the areas that will make or break a sale.

Perception is everything when it comes to selling a house, and you want to make sure yours leaves a favorable impression in the minds of potential buyers. Taking the time to stage your house properly will mean added value at the sale.

Commissions are not set by law, all commissions are negotiable. The 6-7% is used for illustrative/comparison purposes only. If your home is listed or currently actively working with a REALTOR this web site is not intended as a solicitation of your listing or buyer services.