When it comes time to put your house up for sale on the market, you want it to sell as quick as possible at the highest price. One very important way to sell quick for the price you want is to stage your home.

Staging your home refers to a method of decorating that is designed to showcase the home’s strengths, camouflage its weaknesses and appeal to the greatest possible pool of buyers. Staging your home helps potential buyers visualize a place where they can fulfill their dreams and improve their lifestyles. This added warmth can mean all the difference. Below are our recommendations on how to effectively stage your home in just 8 steps:

1. Clean

In order to impress potential buyers, a clean home is crucial. Two common areas of the house that scare away buyers are the kitchen and bathrooms. In the kitchen, buyers want to see those stainless steel appliances that come with the home. If you don’t plan on selling the home along with your appliances, make sure you make yours shine and sparkle. In addition, make sure your bathrooms are spotless from floor to ceiling, making everything look new. This applies to all areas of your home. Breaking out the cleaning supplies can really go a long way!

 2. Remove Odors

Few things are more distracting than walking into a house and being blindsided by a pungent odor. Pet smells, food, mildew and strange air fresheners/ candles will easily side-track your potential buyer and mar the overall image of your home. Chances are you’re immune to your home’s smell so ask a family friend to stop by and point out any unfriendly odors. An easy way to give your house an inviting aroma is to light vanilla or cinnamon-scented candles or take it a step further and even bake fresh cookies in the oven!

3. Define Rooms

You want your potential buyer to be able to walk into every room and see its defined purpose. Any extra space you have in your home should be turned into a purposeful area so the buyer can have options. Just because you envisioned the extra room next to yours as a junk room, buyers may see it as perfect office space, guest bedroom or entertainment room. Make sure every inch of your home appears to be usable space!

4. Wall Paint

Every homeowner has their own specific taste when it comes to the wallpaper and paint color of the walls. Chances are it won’t match up exactly with yours. If you have wallpaper, you should tear it down. If you have bold colored walls, we suggest painting them in a neutral color. This will appeal to the largest pool of buyers and help them envision the way their home will look in easiest way possible.

5. Lighting

Take advantage of your home’s natural light by opening all curtains and blinds. If there is a dark room or parts of the room, add supplemental lighting. You want all parts of your home to be bright and refreshing for your potential buyers!

6. Furniture

When walking around the house, it is easy to point out furniture that doesn’t “fit” in the room. If your furniture is too big, the room will look too small. If your furniture is too small, your room will look cold and uninviting. If this is the case for your home, you can either invest in new furniture or rent furniture for a small fee. Sometimes all it takes is a quick arrangement of your furniture to make all the difference!

7. Depersonalize

You want your potential buyers to be able to envision themselves building their future in your home. It won’t help if they see your family photos, refrigerator art, and children’s toys at every turn!

8. Exterior

Your home’s exterior is the first thing a potential buyer will see when they pull up to the house and walk up the driveway. Have you ever heard the phrase “don’t judge a book buy its cover?” Unfortunately, many potential buyers can develop bad first impressions of the exterior that frame their minds for what’s inside. Fortunately, this is an easy fix. Some quick ways to present a pleasing landscape involve mowing the lawn, trimming hedges/trees, pulling weeds, mulching, planting flowers etc.. You will also want to wash windows and power wash your brick or siding if your house is in need for an exterior cleaning. If you have a deck, make sure you clean and arrange your patio furniture. If you have a pool, make sure it is crystal clear. Following these steps will ensure a welcoming first impression!

When you schedule a free home consultation with the Finn Team, you receive a complimentary staging assessment!  To schedule your appointment contact us:  holly.finn@cbws.com   513.560.6513