14 Steps for Staging Your Home to Sell

Exterior Staging

Buying a home is an emotional experience, buyers frequently make their decision about purchasing a home in the first thirty seconds of a home tour.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Look at your home as though you are seeing it for the first time. Does it appeal to you? Would you buy it?

14 Steps for Exterior Staging Excellence:

1. Keep lawn neat and tidy (cut grass, edge walks, trim hedges, weed gardens)
2. Plant extra flowers for color.
3. Trim shrubs and upgrade landscaping.
4. Repair driveway, sidewalks or step areas.
5. Paint fence, patio enclosure or mail box if needed.
6. Put away outdoor tools and equipment.
7. Reduce clutter.
8. Paint the front door.
9. Paint the garage door.
10. Consider painting window trim and sash.
11. Consider pressure washing home, sidewalks, driveway, patio, porch or roof if needed.
12. Check roof shingles and down spouts. Clean gutters if needed.
13. Clean garage/carport and storage shed.
14. Replace old welcome mat with new, bright floor mat.

Interior Staging

Interior Rooms

• Perform a spring cleaning. Clean houses sell more easily.
• Add light to all rooms; replace all burned out bulbs and faulty switches.
• Brighten with fresh paint. White, off-white or beige walls make a room seem larger and brighter.
• Clean closets to make them appear larger. (Hint: untidy or over-crowded closets suggest inadequate storage space. De-clutter!)
• Clean or replace worn carpets. (Hint: You may not recover all of the cost, but your house will most likely sell faster.)

Kitchen

• Clear kitchen counters of appliances and miscellaneous items. (Hint: clear counters appear more expansive. De-clutter!)
• Organize kitchen cabinets, pantry and linen closets.
• It is critical to have a clean oven/range.
• Clean all sinks.
• Check all plumbing: fix leaky faucets, and clean away water stains.
• Be aware of cooking or pet odor. Keep your house well ventilated and/or freshen rooms with cinnamon or vanilla (i.e., potpourri).

Bathrooms

• Polish bathroom fixtures and mirrors.
• Clean tile grout; re-grout if necessary.
• Bathrooms must be neat, spotless and fresh.

Living Rooms

• Clean fireplace.
• Clean furnace and replace filters.
• Keep room temperatures comfortable. You want your buyer to “move in” mentally.
• Make your home more inviting by placing freshly cut flowers in several rooms.
• Eliminate ANY clutter.
• Clean and brighten naturally dim rooms (i.e. Table lamps, paint, flowers etc.)
• Repair doors, drawers and windows that stick.
• Tighten loose door knobs, towel racks, cabinet handles and switch plates.