Home Staging
There are all different approaches to home staging. For properties that are empty- that’s an easy one. By adding a minimal amount of furnishings to the main rooms in the house, buyers can more readily judge room sizes and can actually sit and “relax” on the sofa in the living room, thus making it easy to see themselves living there. By sitting at a table in the dining room or on the back deck, they are subconsciously entertaining and sharing life experiences. Builders have been doing this for years and it has obviously been successful. For properties where people are living there, this is where the differences of opinion come about. Consider this- you are looking to buy a used car and you have chosen two, both the same style and the same price. Which do you think you’d buy-the one that looks the way it does every day- not very clean, very cluttered with a dirty exterior or one that has been recently detailed- probably no contest on that one.
Your home is, most likely, the largest investment you’re likely to make. Why not go the extra mile by detailing your home. There’s no hard and fast rule that says you must take away all of your personal belongings, although it does help to get rid of a lot of them. Your children will manage fine without all of their toys being out in the middle of the room and you can probably live without being surrounded by all of your books, DVD’s and other personal items.
The truth of the matter is, you’re going to be moving anyway- otherwise you wouldn’t be selling your house, so start packing now, even before you list your house. Choose what you really want to keep out, but you’ll find you don’t need 5 cookie jars on the counter- one will do fine. If you anticipate it taking several seasons to sell your house, consider cleaning out closets and leaving just a season’s worth of clothing. This is the perfect time to donate all of those old clothes, shoes, furniture and toys that have long outlived their usefulness for you. Consider renting a storage unit or put things neatly in the garage or attic for items you will be taking to your new house but don’t absolutely need right now.
Remember, potential buyers have never been to your house and have no idea of what it might look like without all of your “stuff”. And with all of the available houses on the market, they most likely will not want to bother weeding through the mess or trying to envision what it would look like less cluttered. By decluttering and highlighting your home's best features, you'll be helping them make the decision to buy your house... an easy one!
Your Realtor should be able to help you, especially if they are an Accredited Staging Professional.
