Staging to Sell

by CINDY RHOTON

Want to know a seller’s secret? Staging to Sell!

Many agents and sellers believe that “the house will sell itself”. Although the house will probably sell, will it be for the value you are hoping for?

In my listing appointments, I speak volumes about the importance of staging and simplifying. It is a game changer when it comes to listing your property at a competitive rate. If you’re going to list big, be sure the client understands why!

When a buyer is on their Saturday morning tour of homes with their agent, they have already narrowed down their choices to which homes met their spacing, location and functionality needs, as well as which homes had the nicest pictures listed online. In the 5-15 homes they will tour that day many of them will be clean and most of them will still have furniture in the home. You want to be sure that when they walk into your property, they say “WOW”, and can envision themselves living in a clean, well maintained, and exquisitely decorated home.

Many of us feel like our decorating looks nice and our homes are clean, but we also know that if HGTV’s star Christina Hall came to show her clients to your property we would all be in a panic. There are things that we get comfortable with in our own spaces… like laying mail around the kitchen, children or pet toys lying around, or even the haunted junk drawer! These are all things that make a 1^st impression on a buyer.

Did you know that I have my own storage unit full of staging items?

I have a variety of pieces like pillows, throws, plants, vases, and kitchen and living décor. I’ll even add bedding to every bed in the house to make it look as if the buyer is checking into a grand hotel. All these things make such a difference and add warmth to a room.

Whether the home is vacant or has furnishings, I can use what you have and add to it.

I start by decorating the front door, as this is the buyer’s initial welcome to what is hopefully their new home. I also feel it is important to decorate the bathrooms and the kitchen. Surprisingly these are both top rooms on a home buyer’s list when looking for a clean layout and accessibility. The kitchen should appear as if it is ready to cook. Clean countertops, free of any appliances laid out, with a welcoming scent and cozy feeling. Bathrooms should have clean, decorated towels hanging that still look new and plush. When staging the living space, I always take into consideration if there are any unique features. For example, if there is a fireplace it should look grand and the mantle perfectly poised. If there are windows, it’s best to open the drapes or remove them to let the natural lighting in to show off how big the floorplan is.

This is a service I offer to all my clients. I always receive the kindest feedback from my clients and from other agents. The best compliment I can receive after I stage a home is “Wow, you made it look so good that I may want to stay now!” Another great compliment is when the buyers ask to include my items in the sale because it goes so well.

In addition to providing staging items, additional suggestions I have for my sellers is:

• Fresh paint
• Clean baseboards
• Declutter A LOT!!! and De-personalize
• Have the home professionally cleaned before showings