Preparing your home to be sold is a crazy, crazy experience. We know. We've done it a time or two! There are a few key things to do in order to really get the most out of your biggest investment (and if you're not thinking about it that way, you should be).
STOP THINKING OF THE HOUSE AS YOUR HOME
This is one of the most important steps, and it is more of a mindset. You need to disassociate from your house. Put the memories you made there in a box, put the box in the car, and move forward with how to prepare your house to beat the competition. Picture your house as a product for sale, competing against the other items for sale on the same shelf. Once you do this, it is easier to see what needs to change to showcase the house in the best possible light.
DECLUTTER
This is probably the most stereotypical part of home staging. It is a crucial component, for sure, but it isn't the only piece of the puzzle. We are aiming to create open, airy, well organized, and intentional feeling rooms and flow. With a stack of post-it notes, go room by room and begin marking the items to pack away. (For smaller items, you can start a stack or put immediately into a box). I find it easier to mark the items and then go back to do the actual packing. That way, you can also easily direct people to help you out. Any items that are smaller than a baseball can be packed along with all picture frames and personal photos.
DEPERSONALIZE
I just touched on this a little with the photos, but this is an important one, and often one of the most difficult ones for homeowners. Remember. You are disassociated with your house (see above!). So, we've got to take down those family photos. Trust me. You need to do it. You want the buyers to picture themselves in the home. You want them to visualize building their memories in the space and to start actually doing that. We want them to feel like they need the house. They can't do that if your faces are everywhere. They'll feel like it is someone else's house and won't be able to connect as easily.
FIX IT & UPDATES
We don't want to give home buyers any reason to not purchase your house. That means fixing things that need to be fixed, updating outdated fixtures, and other cosmetic changes. Typically, only low-baller buyers are interested in houses that have issues to fix. Take that off the table. Make the house as turn-key as possible. I don't love the saying, but it is accurate for staging ... you've got to spend money to make money. If you want to earn top dollar for your house, you have to be willing to make some investments. I'm not talking about gutting everything, there are less drastic improvements that can be made. But, you need to make them in order to make your house the most competitive.
LINENS, TOWELS, PILLOWS & GREENERY
Crisp and clean. Fresh, white bedding, towels, and pillows. This is my easiest tip. When your linens are pristine, it instantly makes the space feel more updated. Plus, white is a photographer's best friend. Additionally, you want to add fresh greenery for your photos and showings if possible. I always recommend greens over flowers because they last longer and are cheaper (they can even dry out and still look great!)
Remember, we're just a call/video call away. We are always happy to provide consultations ... near and far. So, when you're prepping your house, feel free to book an appointment with us and we can walk you through the process room by room. Working with a professional home stager that focuses on this process day-in and day-out, is the best way to maximize your direction (and your profits).
Thank you for visiting ... happy selling!