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 If you're thinking about selling your house, then you have more to do than simply putting up a For Sale sign. In the real estate market today, and especially in a slow market, you have to stage your home for sale. By following some fundamental real estate home selling tips, you should be able to obtain the highest possible price for your home.
In this article, we're going to discuss what real estate professionals refer to as staging a home for sale. We'll explain some of the steps involved in getting a house ready to be sold to both improve its curb appeal, as well as making a great first impression on prospective homebuyers.
Staging a Home to Sell
If you want to get top dollar for your home, then you need to do more than simply clean the bathrooms and dust off the furniture. Staging a home includes decorating, painting, and adding a feeling of spaciousness to your house. Staging a home also includes removing items that might detract from the home's appeal, including pets.
Redecorating to Sell
Homebuilders are experts at selling homes. If you want to get a good feel for what it takes to sell your home, then you need to visit some fully decorated model homes for sale in your area of the country. Since these homes are professionally decorated, they will help you to understand what staging a home really means.
When you visit these model homes, you're going to have a different perspective than you would have if you were thinking about buying a home. During these visits, you're going to be taking mental or written notes and you'll be paying close attention to the colors used throughout the home, as well as how the decorator is able to make the home more appealing to prospective buyers.
Curb Appeal
The first thing a potential buyer will see when visiting your home is the exterior. A new doormat, potted flowers by the front door, and a weed-free garden will help to set the tone for a buyer's first visit.
A home's doors will naturally grab the buyer's attention. Replace worn hardware, and polish brass fixtures where possible. If your garage door is looking shabby, it's time to replace it. If your home is in need of a fresh coat of paint, then make sure you choose a color that compliments the size and setting of the home.
Removing Clutter from the House
There is no better time to de-clutter a home then when you're selling it. Don't wait until the moving van shows up to throw out unwanted items. De-cluttering a home is an important step in staging it for sale.
Reorganize bookshelves, clean out bedroom closets, and line up those shoes neatly in a row. You want the buyers to make a fair assessment of the home's size, and a cluttered home feels smaller than it should. If you have many items that you just can't part with, then rent offsite storage until you move. Don't pack the home's storage areas with these "valuables."
Get Rid of Personal Items
While you may have strong political feelings or religious beliefs, it's going to be hard for a potential buyer to visualize living in your home if it contains too many items they cannot relate to themselves.
Buying a home is a big financial step, and for many buyers connecting with a home in an emotional way is important. If you have too many items that may spark controversial thoughts, then a buyer may not be able to bond with your home.
Brighten Up the Home
If you have heavy drapery that is keeping a room in darkness, then now is the time to brighten up the home's rooms. Simple window treatments in white linen or cotton will allow light to penetrate into a room while providing a sense of privacy.
Make sure lighting fixtures are in working order, and don't be afraid to turn on lights to showcase your home. Brightly lit homes give buyers an uplifting, positive feeling inside which is important since you want to invoke a feeling of connection with the home.
Painting Rooms
The least expensive way to give a "dated" home a fresh look is by painting the interior walls. You don't want to get too creative and take this opportunity to express your unique decorating style. Instead, you'll want to use colors that are generally considered "safe" neutral tones.
Don't think that neutral tones = beige. Subtle and softer colors are in style for many rooms while deeper colors such as cranberry can be used sparingly in areas such as the dining room.
Texture and Shape
Accent pieces in a variety of shapes and textures can add visual interest to almost any room in the home. Once again, the use of accents to a home is one of the key elements to properly staging the home. The shine of brass, the intricacies of wicker, and the ability to bring the outdoors in through houseplants can all be used to highlight the beauty and potential of a home.
If you're unsure how to use texture and shape in a room, then purchase a magazine that contains numerous photographs of decorated rooms. Study the pictures to see how the decorator, as well as the photographer, stages the photo. Our natural inclination is to scan a room from left to right - just like reading a book. Smaller objects placed in front of larger objects allow the viewer to appreciate the scale, or size, of each accessory as well as the room itself.
Eliminate Odors
Avoid cooking meals that may fill the house with lingering, and perhaps offensive, odors. Eating fish may indicate a healthy lifestyle, but the odor may leave a buyer with a negative impression. The same goes for fried foods and that long-lasting smell of grease.
On the other hand, many people enjoy the smell of fresh baked muffins or cookies. In fact, these odors may evoke positive feelings including fond memories of the buyer's childhood home.
Keep Pets Away
While you may feel your pet is part of the family, someone looking to buy your home may not feel the same way. Barking dogs can be distracting, and water or food bowls are unattractive. Your best friend may even have an odor that only you can appreciate.
Staging professionals will recommend that pets are boarded with friends or family until the home is sold. In short, you want to eliminate all signs that a pet was living in the home.
Keep it Clean
When you're selling your home you don't want it to be clean, you want it to sparkle and shine. This is a very important point because a dirty home sends a signal that you don't care about the details. If you're not used to cleaning every nook and cranny, then you need to hire a professional cleaner.
Constantly empty the wastebaskets, keep recyclable containers clean, and make sure dirty dishes aren't left in the sink. Keep coffee tables clear of old newspapers and car keys. Everything throughout the home should be in its proper place.
Potential homebuyers aren't just visiting your home; they are visually inspecting the home. They are trying to determine the home's value so they are looking for signs the home is not being maintained properly. A super clean home sends a signal to the buyer that you're paying attention to the details. And that's what staging a home is all about, it's going that extra step to present a home in the best possible light.
About the Author - Home Staging Tips
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