During my 38 years of selling real estate I have discovered that just a few small changes can create the visual impact needed for effective home staging and preparing  your home to sell.

Implementing just a few professional ideas can make the difference between whether you attract a good offer or not. Here are some of my personal tips:

Curb Appeal is Part of Home Staging

The first impression is crucial to the success of selling your property. The exterior of your home needs to be staged too.

Making the outside of your home appealing by clearing leaves and debris,  mowing the lawn and planting flowers is part of the preparation. Painting the exterior and painting and repairing fencing demonstrates pride of ownership. A fresh new door mat, paint touch-ups to aging doors, molding and the front entrance are all important to home staging and preparing your home to sell.

Think of displaying attractive outdoor furniture and flower pots or baskets in the backyard and porch to help potential buyers envision outdoor enjoyment and entertaining family and friends.

Closets

In keeping with my reference to first impressions—don’t let the front coat closet look like your favorite place to hide the mess. Reduce the number of coats and keep the floor as clear as possible to create the impression of space. The new owners want to feel as though it will fit all of their stuff and will be looking to see if your house is a fit.

All closets in the house should receive attention to making them appear clean, ordered, and not over-crowded.

 De-clutter!

Clutter can take between 5 and 15 % off the value of your home. Buyers are less inclined to make a high offer for a house that looks messy and cluttered. Rent a storage unit and box up the items not being used everyday. It will be worth every penny!

Personal Items

It’s important to remove all personal items that will identify the home as being “your territory.” Remove and store any family photos and conceal toiletries in the bedroom and bathroom. You want people to be able to envision themselves living in your house. Depersonalization is a major way to make your home appear accessible to a variety of different individuals.

Room Designation

It’s essential to display the appropriate furniture in specific rooms. For example: the prospective buyer may not see the benefit of having a formal dining room if it’s furnished as an office or den.

If you leave rooms empty, it is more difficult for buyers to visualize the scale of a room. Give every room a purpose. The buyer needs to be able to imagine their furniture in any given room. Furniture will identify the designation of a room and its purpose.

Sellers should always be conscious of how the showing experience reflects the appeal of their home. Make the potential buyer’s experience as positive as possible.

Odors

Remember the saying “Nose blind.” If you have animals you may not realize the impact of odors that you have become accustomed to over time. This can actually deter a sale if there are strong, offensive odors. Smoke and pet odors are considered the worst. However, heavy Febreeze or Air Wick’s are equally unpleasant to some. Stick to natural scents such as lemon for your cleaning. Follow the advice of your trusted real estate agent if they point out the problem. It is embarrassing, but we have your best interest at heart and unpleasant odors will greatly affect your ability to attract a buyer.

Knick Knack Attack

In an effort to de-clutter their home, some homeowners  go too far. You definitely need to remove the knick knacks, but don’t make your home appear stark and without character or style.

Placing a small plant, fresh flowers or decorative bowl on a counter or table will add colour and warmth to your environment. A little panache never hurt anybody!  Simplicity is more attractive than crowded displays or ones that are too large and overpower a room.

Wall Space and Focal Points for Home Staging

Too much furniture and book shelves can shrink a room when they run from wall to wall. The more wall and floor space that can be seen the better.

Decorate the room in such a way that it draws the eye to the most attractive feature of the room. Whether it is a big picture window or a lovely fireplace mantle, do not block the view with furniture.

Every room has a focal point. Bedrooms can look rather boring and unappealing if the bed (which is the focal point of the room), looks disheveled and is covered with an old wool blanket or throw. Colors can add or detract.  It is well worth investing in some good quality duvets, pillows and shams to effectively stage your bedrooms and bring in an updated feel.

If you are lucky enough to have wood floors, show them off! You may need to move some furniture to storage or invest in a smaller area rug, but it is very important that the beautiful floors are visible. Showcase your home to its most flattering advantage for home staging and preparing your home to sell.

Current Colours for Home Staging

In order to make your home aesthetically pleasing it will be necessary to use current colours in paint, carpeting and flooring. Visit your local show homes or call me to assist in choosing the current, popular colour pallets before you paint.

Having your home professionally  painted is the lowest dollar investment with the highest rate of return. Remember $40 in the can equals thousands of dollars return in your pocketbook and  the bottom line.  When choosing paint color, stay light and paint the walls and ceiling the same color.

Add a pop of colour to enhance your decor. Adding  accessories like pillows, rugs and draperies are great for home staging and preparing your home to sell. Always think of how a room will appear in online photos and virtual tours.

Home Staging and Lighting

Lighting can have a profound effect on the success of all aspects of your home staging. Outdated fixtures are certain to make your home appear older. Upgrade to modern lighting to give your home a “face lift.” Don’t fail to utilize floor and table lamps to brighten up your rooms. Open window coverings to allow for natural light to come in.

Now, light the fire, turn on some soft music and go out to lunch and relax, I’ll handle the rest…

Do you know what your home is worth? I offer a FREE market evaluation & consultation

I will answer your current market questions. You will receive a free report  on preparing your home for Selling and a walk through giving you my expertise on how to specifically prepare your home for the market.

Please call me anytime to schedule a time.

PHONE JOAN 604-220-7653 (SOLD) “Realtor Since 1980” HomeLife Benchmark Langley

BIG OR SMALL I SELL THEM ALL