PROPERTIES
 View My Listings
 Company Listings
 Search MLS
 Free Home Search

MEET LILA
 Meet Lila
 RE Central
 Email Lila

RESOURCES
 Home Ownership Plan
 Buying a Home
 Buyers Agent
 Selling a Home
 Home Staging
 Lenders & Financing
 Choosing Insurance
 Home Warranties
 Home Inspections
 Real Estate Glossary
 Divorce & Real Estate

ON THE MOVE
 Communities
 Newcomer's Guide
 Relocation
 Moving Tips
 Change of Address
 Utilities Guide  

WORTH SURFIN'
 Fannie Mae
 HUD
 Lead Safe
 

Home Staging Equals a Quick Sale

One of the most important things you can do to help sell your home quickly is to “stage” it. Basically, there are five steps to home staging.

• Cleaning
• Getting rid of clutter
•  Depersonalizing
• Decorating and accessorizing
•  Maintaining

Cleaning
When I say “cleaning”, I don’t mean your ordinary, weekly house cleaning. I mean a deep cleansing in which every surface, every window, every nook-and-cranny sparkle and shine. Clean windows, ceiling fans, curtains and blinds, carpet – in short, everything. Eliminate unpleasant pet odors and even consider having someone else care for pets until the house is sold.

Getting Rid of Clutter
You’re to be moving anyway, so go ahead and start getting rid of the things you’ll never need again and box up the things you can live without for a couple of months. Clean out about 50% of the things in closets, most of the knickknacks displayed around the home and enough furniture so that rooms look open and inviting. Kitchen and bath counters should be clean and uncluttered. Even the cabinets and drawers should contain only a few items, because prospective buyers will be opening doors and drawers and will want to see a lot of space.

Depersonalizing
It’s important to remove most family photographs and personal collections. Buyers are trying to envision themselves living in every home they tour and it’s hard for them to do that when faced with the seller’s personal items. Every room of the house should have a general appeal for the majority of buyers. Leaving personal collections for the buyer to see distracts the purchaser by having him or her focusing on your things rather than the house.

Decorating and Accessorizing
There are many improvements that can be made with little expense. A fresh coat of paint doesn’t cost very much but will add impact. New window treatments, fresh flowers, green plants and pretty accessories all pack a punch without breaking the wallet.

Maintaining
Homes must be spotless as long as they’re on the market. The very day someone leaves a dirty towel on the bathroom floor will be the day a prospective buyer walks through. Granted, it’s not easy to keep a home hotel-clean while someone is living there, but the payoff may be a quicker sale and, perhaps, a higher price. Keep the outside as clean and neatly maintained as the inside. Have the lawn mowed and place trashcans out of sight. A nice potted plant, a clean doormat, and a front door wreath make the home seem more inviting.

Home staging can include everything from a thorough cleaning to a complete remodeling. The more staging, the better the chance of securing a quick sale. But all homes are unique, so be sure to work with your REALTOR to find the staging tricks that work best for your property.
 

©2005 Lila Ramkey