If you've ever entertained, you know that preparation is just as important as presentation. I mean you can’t have Williams Sonoma (preparation) without Pottery Barn (presentation). Same is true if you are planning to sell your home.
Preparation is all that behind the scenes work that can ensure you get top $$ for your house. Savvy buyers want turn-key - make it turn key.
Repair anything that’s broken – this shows your home is well taken care of. Make sure all windows operate freely, replace any worn locks or torn screens. Clean carpets, use wood cleaners / conditioners on wood floors and wood kitchen cabinets. This restores the natural beauty. Fix any plumbing issues. Tighten loose handrails. Know the age of your furnace, your roof. Clean the gutters. Do all the lightbulbs work – a buyer won’t know if it’s just a burned out bulb or an electrical problem.
Presentation is of course the eye candy - and that's where Staging becomes KEY. If you're selling, you're moving, if you're moving - start packing! This is a double-duty task. It declutters the house you’re selling and readies your belongings for their new space.
In every room, stand in the doorway and look thru the eyes of a buyer. What do you really see – pack everything you can live without while your home is on the market. This includes any family photos, collections of any kind, guns, swords, hunting trophies and religious and political items. The buyer needs to “picture” himself living there, with his things.
Even the proper furniture placement can have a huge impact. Does your furniture have a “titanic effect” in a particular room? Meaning too many heavy pieces on 1 side of the room. That can be easily addressed. It’s always better to “float your furniture” – never have all your pieces placed around the perimeter of the room. Floating the furniture gives a cozier feeling and shows off your space better. Trim-work and architectural features stand out more in a carefully arranged room.
An Accredited Staging Professional will create a sense of calm in a room. Colors should be limited to 2 major shades. Any strong color is reserved solely for accessories or accent walls.
Solid fabrics work best for upholstered pieces when showcasing a room. Slipcovers are always an affordable option to give patterned pieces an updated look. When the house is on the market, leave lights ON and blinds or drapes OPEN – more light, whether natural or artificial, makes a space seem larger.
Truth is, buyers lack imagination. “They only know what they See, not the way it’s going to Be!” That is why each room must have a defined purpose, must be clutter-free, “Q-Tip clean” and rid of excess furniture and personal items.
Show off all the space in your place!
Now take a good hard look at your efforts! Ta-da! You have a product that's appealing and ready for "showtime"!
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