If you’re considering selling your property, you might find this helpful. Real estate is an experience that is very personal for most buyers and sellers. Many owners have made their home a personal expression of their tastes, interests/passions, and their life. Although buyers should overlook at lot of these personal touches and focus on the bones of the home (the things that will remain after the previous owner moves out), many consumers have a hard time getting past them. Therefore, staging a home can often make the difference between receiving multiple offers and a lack of interest from prospective buyers.
When getting your home ready for open house events and property tours I’d highly recommend doing some or all of the following:
Show off the Selling Features of the Home – You should stage your home to show off its space, light and conveniences. For example, if the backyard is a huge selling point, stage it with outdoor dining or living room furnishings. Similarly, if the home is a three-bedroom with a bonus room in an area where four-bedroom homes are in demand, staging the bonus room as a bedroom or home office helps buyers overcome the objection of being “too small.” Stage your home to show off the selling points and create value.
Remove Personal Collections – Your home sale will benefit from a more neutral, less-personal aesthetic. Remember that open houses mean that there will be many people in and out of your home, and your prized possessions should be stored accordingly.
Allow Buyers to Visualize Their Lives in Your Home, Not Yours -When a home is being shown for sale, it must be immaculate, every single time it’s being shown. It should look like no one lives there: no toiletries, dirty dishes, clothes on the floor, etc. You’d be surprised at how bad an impression just a few personal toiletries or dishes can make. You want the prospective buyer to be able to envision themselves as the owners of the home.
Get Professional Advice, or at Least Another Person’s Perspective – When owners stage their home with zero external or professional input, often they are unable to see their home objectively. I like to suggest looking at other homes that have been successfully staged. You can also ask your friends to come in and help decide what still needs to go, once you think you’re done removing your personal effects. Or more appropriate…ask your realtor.
I hope this is helpful. I look forward to talking with you about selling your home.
Thanks,
Breck
530.318.3452
