Stage your Home for a Faster Sale & Higher Price
Don't put your house on the market until you've taken a close look at its condition. You usually only have one shot at impressing potential buyers, so take some time to prepare the house for showings. You may be rewarded with a faster sale and a higher offer.
 Start with the Basics
- Everything from floors to windows must be spotless. Remember to clean the oven and other major appliances. Skylights should be crystal-clear, too.
- Kill the offensive odors. They're the first thing buyers notice, and often a permanent turnoff. Purchase Citrus or Spa-Fresh Plug- In’s for every room.
- Hire a professional cleaning service to come in to do a spring clean. This is a mandatory step in the process.
Eliminate Clutter
- Put away small kitchen appliances and other items that are sitting on countertops and tables. Clear the refrigerator completely of magnets and children’s drawings etc...
- Remove photographs from table-tops.
- Organize the closets and pantry. Remove and store about 1/3 of the contents.
- Clear all personal items from the bathrooms.
Outside Tasks
- Clean the drain gutters. Buyers nearly always comment if gutters are full of leaves and it makes them question other maintenance issues.
- Store or organize items that make the yard look messy.
- Make your front entry inviting. Decorate it by adding flowers in pots, add a lively welcome mat, paint the door, shine, paint or replace the doorbell ringer and any worn-out lights. You have 30 seconds to make a first impression- make it a good one.
Invest a Few Hours for Future Dividends
Here is your chance to clean up in real estate. Clean up the living room, the bathroom, and the kitchen. If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor redecoration. Fresh paint adds charm and value to your property. If you are worried about time, hire professional cleaners or painters to get your house ready. Remember, prospects would rather see how great your home really looks than hear how great it could look "with a little work."
Tips for Vacant Homes
Vacant homes often greet agents and home buyers with a blast of stale or mildew-laden air. As soon as buyers smell mildew, they are out the door. Deal with the mildew before you list the house.
Have you ever noticed that during cold months the interior of a house without heat always feels colder than it is outside? Leaving the heat or air conditioning running while a home is on the market reduces odors and makes the house more inviting.
Keep the lawn and landscaping tidy, even if you have to hire someone to do it.
Don't take it Personally
Your first step: separate yourself from the personal feelings you have about the house--it's no longer your home; it's a commodity you intend to market.
Trust your instincts. Try to evaluate the house as if you are seeing it for the first time. If you were a home buyer, what would you think about the house?
- What changes would make immediate improvements?
- What are the best features of the house and how can you show them off?
How about a look that says 'comfort,' or using a popular decorating theme, such as the vintage, casual look of Shabby Chic?
 Pack It Up
Pack away most of your family photos. Buyers should be allowed to imagine their possessions in the home. When home buyers start deciding how their furniture will fit into your rooms, you're on your way to a contract. You never want potential buyers more interested in your family photos than the house itself.
Pack up the bulk of large, personal collections, so that buyers don't get so interested in looking at them that they forget to look at the house.
Make It More Spacious
Remember; potential buyers are looking for more than just comfortable living space. They are looking for storage space, too. Make sure your attic and basement are clean and free of unnecessary items.
- Remove excess furniture to make rooms more spacious.
- Store boxes in an out of the way location or rent a temporary storage unit so you can de-clutter every part of the house.
Consider your Closets
The better organized a closet, the larger it appears. Now’s the time to box up those unwanted clothes and donate them to charity.
Open up in the Daytime
Let the sun shine in! Pull back your curtains and drapes so prospects can see how bright and cheery your home is.
Expose Desirable Features
- Remove rugs if they expose nice hardwood floors.
- Remove heavy drapes that keep out natural light, especially if there's a great view out the windows.
Add Some Life
Plants go hand-in-hand with nearly any home staging theme--living plants, not artificial versions. Fruit bowls signify a healthy environment.
Don’t Shut Out a Sale
If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be sure they will also stick in a prospect’s mind? Do not try to explain away sticky situations when you can easily plane them away. A little effort on your part can smooth the way toward a closing.
Freshen Up
How about fresh paint. Are walls in the house dingy? Are the colors dated? Should you clean curtains or other window ornaments?
Create a “Feels Like Home” Environment
- Bake bread during showings, or place a fresh loaf in a basket on the counter.
- Play jazz music softly in the background.
- Utilize a fruit basket in the center of the kitchen table.
 A great overall impression is often enough to make a buyer more lenient about minor repairs that may be required. You want them to fall in love with the house as soon as they see it from the street. Every house is different, and no one expects you to be a professional home stager--but taking the time to prepare the house to the best of your abilities may put extra dollars in your pocket, and in less than average time.
Make your Bathroom Sparkle
Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. For added allure, display your best towels, mats, and shower curtains.
Check Faucets and Bulbs
Dripping water rattles the nerves, discolors sinks, and suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing. Burned out bulbs or faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark. Do not let little problems detract from what is right with your home.
Create Dream Bedrooms
Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For a spacious look, get rid of excess furniture. Colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains are necessary.
Curb Appeal Deserves Top Priority
 Home sellers should give top priority to improving their home's curb appeal—the view that buyers see when they drive by or arrive for a showing. A large percentage of home buyers decide whether or not to pursue a house based on that initial impression, so take steps to ensure you won't lose them before they have a chance to see the interior.
Get Detached
It is difficult to look at our own houses in the same way that potential home buyers do. When we become accustomed to the way something looks and functions, we cannot see its faults. Your goal is to open your eyes and stop thinking of the property as a home. It's a house—a commodity you want to sell for the highest dollar possible.
Curb Appeal Exercise
The next time you arrive home, stop across the street or far enough down the driveway to get a good view of the house and its surroundings.
View the property from the same position as a home buyer who is doing a drive-by.
- What would be your impression of the house and yard area if you were seeing it for the first time?
- What are the best exterior features of the house or lot? Can you enhance them even more?
- What are the worst exterior features of the house or lot? How can you minimize or improve them?
- Park where a potential buyer would and walk towards the house, looking around you as if it were your first visit. Is the path clean and tidy?
- Start making a list of your positive and negative feelings about the property's appearance.
- Take photos of the home's exterior. If you have a digital camera, view the color versions first, and then switch the photos to grey-scale. Sometimes it's easier to see problems when color isn't present to affect our senses.
Make the Most of that First Impression
A well-manicured lawn; neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch welcome prospects. So does a freshly painted – or at least freshly scrubbed – front door. If it is autumn, rake the leaves. If it is winter, shovel the walkways. The fewer obstacles between prospects and the true appeal of your home, the better.
Evening Appeal is Important
Do the exercise again at dusk or just after dark. It's not unusual for potential buyers to drive by houses in the evening, so its curb appeal should extend into the nighttime hours.
Lighten up at Night
Turn on the excitement by turning on all your lights - both inside and outside - when showing your home in the evening. Lights add color and warmth, and make prospects feel welcome.
- String low voltage lighting along your drive way, sidewalks, and around landscaping elements.
- Add a decorative street lamp or an attractive light fixture to a front porch.
- Solar versions of outdoor lights are quick and easy to install, but only work when they receive full sun each day.
- Lighting that's visible through front windows should enhance the home's appearance.
The Rear View
Buyers doing a drive by will try their best to see your back yard. If it's visible from another street or from someone's driveway, it should be a part of your curb appeal efforts.
A Few Ideas
The tasks you must complete will be specific to your list, but here are some general tips:
- Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway.
- Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.
- Clean the windows and gutters.
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 Pressure-wash dirty siding and dingy decks.
- Keep sidewalks and driveways clean.
- Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete and bricks.
- Mow the lawn regularly. Get rid of weeds.
- Rake and dispose of leaves, even if your lot is wooded.
- Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the roof.
Essential Curb Appeal
- Outdoor lighting does wonders in the evenings--when many home buyers do drive-bys of properties.
- Buy a good-looking doorknob set.
- Sweep the driveway; pressure-wash the house or sidewalks if necessary.
- Enhance landscaping.
Think Safety
Homeowners learn to live with all kinds of self-set booby traps: roller skates on the stairs, festooned extension cords, slippery throw rugs and low hanging overhead lights. Make your residence as non-perilous as possible for uninitiated visitors.
Landscaping Decisions
There are times that adding elements to your landscaping can help curb appeal, but there are also times when removing something is more effective.
Other Enhancements
- If you can budget it, a fresh paint job does wonders for a dingy house. Drive around to find color schemes that are appealing.
- How about a more attractive front door, maybe something with leaded glass inserts?
- If you can't justify the cost of a new door, consider replacing plain doorknob hardware with something more attractive.
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 If new hardware is beyond your budget, how about repainting or staining the door and polishing the hardware?
Avoid Crowd Scenes
Potential buyers often feel like intruders when they enter a home filled with people. Rather than giving your house the attention it deserves, they are likely to hurry through your home. Keep the company present to a minimum.
Watch Your Pets
Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when you are showing your home. Pets have a talent for getting underfoot. So do everybody a favor: Keep Kitty and Spot outside or at least out of the way.
Think Volume
Rock-and-roll will never die. However, it might kill a real estate transaction. When it is time to show your home, it is time to turn down the stereo or TV. And play muted dinner jazz.
Keep a Low Profile
Nobody knows your home as well as you do. However, your REALTOR knows buyers - what they need and what they want. Your REALTOR will have an easier time articulating the virtues of your home if you remove your family from the home while The REALTOR visits or stay in the background.
Don't Apologize
No matter how humble your abode, never apologize for its shortcomings. If a prospect volunteers a derogatory comment about your home's appearance, let your experienced REALTOR handle the situation.
Do not Turn Your Home into a Second-Hand Store
When prospects come to view your home, do not distract them with offers to sell those furnishings you no longer need. You may lose the biggest sale of all.
Defer to Experience
When prospects want to talk price, terms, or other real estate matters, let them speak to an expert - your REALTOR
Help your Agent
You REALTOR will have an easier time selling your home if showings are scheduled through her office. You will appreciate the results!
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