To sell your home in a buyer’s market, make it an “HGTV Home!”
If you want to sell your home quickly in this market and get the most for it, you have to stage it so it would be good enough to get on HGTV. Here are the statistics: the average home in
Staging is all about making your home the front runner. Buyers have lots of homes to choose from and are looking for anything they can find to eliminate your home from their consideration. Look at the foundational steps to staging: Clean and De-Clutter, Lighten and Brighten, and Improve your Curb Appeal. You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Now it is time to look at setting the stage (i.e.,staging) for successfully selling your home for top dollar.
The key in staging is good furniture placement. Good furniture placement can help show off a room and makes a huge impact as a buyer walks through. If you want to make a room seem bigger, move the furniture away from the walls so they see the perimeter of the room. Take out different pieces of furniture, especially those that are too big for the space. Less is more in staging. Remember, “when in doubt, take it out.”
Create a well-defined space for eating. “The best way to define the space is to bring in your table and chairs, naturally, and then bring in a light fixture. Bring in a chandelier, something different, something special,” advises designer Monica Pedersen.
And remove distracting unnecessary furniture from the bedroom. Bedrooms need to give a sense of relaxation and comfort, not where you’re doing your work. The way you live in your home, and the way you market and sell it are two entirely different things.
Once you’ve done these things, Accessorize it! If you feel like you’re not a designer and you’re not good at pulling a room together, just go to a great bedding store, buy bedding from a display, and then dress it up the same way, just like a hotel room. Pull out a paint color from the bedding and get matching window treatments. If you don’t have one, buy an attractive headboard. This really makes your master bedroom feel luxurious and elegant. Then accessorize your bathroom to make buyers feel like they are in a spa. Put out items like rolled-up towels, decorative baskets and candles. It’s a great way to create a polished look and it doesn’t cost a lot. Re-arrange your artwork, or buy some new pieces to match the colors in your furniture and walls and floors.
We’ve got professional staging resources through First Weber’s Concierge Department if you need some assistance. Remember, the cost of staging is always less than your first price reduction.
( Written by Scott W. Swick. sswick@firstweber.com)