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Home Staging – Little Things, Big impact

By Brice Cochran

I am finding that a lot of my clients are ready to move on, but their current house has to sell first. It’s a common dilemma these days. Many people need to relocate or want to build their dream house, but haven’t been able to sell their current house in today’s overcrowded marked. “Staging” is the buzzword of the day for making sure a house stands out in this competitive market. These are a few basic, inexpensive steps to encourage homeowners to take in order to stage a home to maximize its appeal to potential buyers.

  •  The number one tip for getting a house ready to show – Clean, clean, and then clean some more! Nothing turns off buyers quicker than a dirty house. If they see a lot of surface dust and dirt it will make them worry that what they can’t see is in even worse shape. A house needs to shine from inside and out.
  • First impression – there is only one chance to make a first impression so it has to count. The outside of a house has to be included when sprucing up. Trimming bushes, pulling weeds and planting a few fresh flowers will make a big difference. We also recommend that homeowners consider updating an old outdoor light fixture or tarnished house numbers and then top it all off by adding a new welcome mat.
  •  Declutter – It may be precious memories and treasures to some, but to buyers it is just clutter getting in the way of them being able to visualize the home as their own. Having a yard sale is a great motivator for getting rid of stuff. Once people start handing over money for old junk homeowners start wishing they had dug deeper in their closets for more stuff to sell. It also is a great time to get a jump start on their move and begin packing up the rest of their belongings.
  •  Some say blah, the professionals say neutral. The biggest bang for anybody’s buck will be a fresh coat of paint on the walls in neutral colors. Bottom line – Neutrals sell.
  •  De-personalize – which is a gentle way of saying once again to get rid of clutter. Family photos, religious statues, political items, and anything else should be removed that buyers might not be able to identify with. Just keep in mind that less is more. More room for buyers to emotionally connect with the home and imagine themselves in it. To get a house moving on the market, homeowners must be sure it is sparkling clean, clutter free, and with a fresh, neutral feel to it that welcomes everyone coming through the door.

I hope this helps you sell your house faster, stay tune I will give you 5 more tips coming in a future post.