Checklist for Staging Your Home
Once you decide it’s time to sell your home, you discover there are all kinds of preparations needed to get the best-selling price possible. Staging your home requires some effort and ultimately a little bit of depersonalization if you want potential buyers to connect with the home. One common assumption is that staging means getting the inside of the house looking good, but a thorough staging includes both inside and outside of the home. Consider the following tips while you prepare your home for selling.
Clean out closets, drawers and storage areas
When potential buyers walk around your home, they will open every closet door, pull out every drawer and look at every square inch with a detailed eye. Clutter, messy closets, packed storage areas, and junk drawers don’t allow the buyers to see the actual storage potential in the home. Organized, clean and spacious presentations appeal to buyers because they are trying to imagine their own belongings in your home and less distraction allows them to do this.
Do a deep clean, including appliances and baseboards
The first impression is the most important, so sparkling countertops, clean floors, tidy bathrooms and clean walls are a must. Clean the inside and outside of all appliances, it gives the potential buyers evidence that you’ve treated the home with care. Wash the baseboards, clean the floors, replace the carpet if it’s tattered and stained. Investing a little bit of money to replace old, worn carpet will help you get closer to the listing price when you sell.
Remove furnishings that block doorways or windows, create open space
Generally less is more regarding furniture when you are showing your home. Too much furniture or oversized furniture can make rooms feel small and cramped. Potential buyers want to be able to visualize their own furniture in each room so pare down yours to allow better visualization.
Bring in the light
Open those blinds or curtains and bring the light into your home. The lighter the better and buyers like to see as much natural light as possible when touring your home. Change lightbulbs before buyers walk through and replace any old lighting that doesn’t match the décor.
You want to show people the gorgeous Central Oregon views from your home and the beautiful yard. These may be important buying points for the person who is interested in your home.
Repair the fence, clean up the yard
Curb appeal is a big one, from the moment buyers pull up to your house, they are on point looking at every little detail. Making sure your repairs are done, the leaves are off the ground, the grass is mowed, and the dog waste is picked up. Be sure to stay on top of fall yard maintenance, like raking leaves, and cleaning up garden beds. This will ensure a good first impression.
Eliminate odors
Our beloved pets can give off odors that we don’t even notice. Pick-up worn or tattered pet toys, store pet beds in the garage, steam clean upholstery, and carpets and be sure to take your pets to a different location during your open house. Not everyone is a dog or cat lover and having them around can be a distraction for many potential buyers.
Pop of color
Try livening up your space with a fresh coat of paint. Suggestions for fall include warm earth tones, like red, brown or muted orange.
If you’re not ready to commit to a painting project, try simply adding smaller pops of color to your space. Find new red-focused art, pillows or lamps to add to your home.
Another great way to add some color, is by adding blankets or throws to your space. This not only brightens up your space with color, but adds an even cozier feel to it with the comfort of warm blankets.
Selling a home can be stressful but staying organized and mindful will help reduce the stress and allow you to focus on the bigger picture. Staging your home can be fun, satisfying and give you the chance to finish projects you’ve been meaning to complete for years!
