Experts at selling homes share the same advice for how to stage a house so that it moves off the market quickly and at a great price: See the home through a buyer’s eyes. This is easy to say but difficult to put into practice.
Think of this approach another way. To truly see your home through a buyer’s eyes means viewing it in a detached, unsentimental way. You might love your pictures and personal items, but they might turn off potential buyers. You must clean and de-clutter all your rooms so your house generates maximum appeal. If you need ideas for how to create clutter-free staging, visit some model homes and open houses.
That is just a start. Check out these additional home selling tips:
Make space – Clearing clutter and making more space should be your top priorities. Pack loose items. You probably know to wrap fragile items in newspaper before packing. You might not know that you can keep your hands from getting dirty by buying plain newsprint from a moving or storage company.
Consider different furniture – Let’s say you have a large, custom-made dining room table. It’s a beautiful piece, but it fills your dining room. Put that table in storage and stage your house with a smaller table—instantly, your room will look larger. Apply this process to every room and remove furniture that could be considered superfluous.
Clear the counters – Your countertops should also be free of anything extraneous—remove pens and papers, wine bottles, cookbooks, decorations, anything you can get by without. Displaying something fragrant, such as a candle or potpourri, adds a pleasant touch.
Don’t neglect closets – Interested buyers will definitely check out your closets, so make sure to clear them out as well. Empty your closets and put everything into one of three piles—donate/sell, seasonal, and keep. Then, pare down up to half of what is in your “keep” pile. Once you have separated these items, put what you need back in the closet neatly. Line up shoes. Fold items on shelves (don’t let things hang over). Hang up clothes (arranged by color) and space them out so nothing is crowded.
Remember, no matter what you do, you want to move the house fast. Make sure each part of the staging process brings you closer to that goal.