Staging Your Home

When putting your house up for sale it is important for buyers to see it in its best light. Readying your house for showing can make a big difference to length of time on market and the ultimate sales price. The process of preparing your house for sale is called staging.

Quite possibly you have an emotional attachment to your home but try to detach yourself from that emotion and put yourself in the place of a buyer who is seeing your house for the first time. Take a good look around, inside and out and view your home through the eyes of a stranger.

First impressions are all important and buyers frequently make up their minds in the first few seconds. Start from the outside and evaluate your houses curb appeal. Right here you have the opportunity to influence whether or not a buyer even wants to get out of the car. Is the yard neat and tidy with the lawn mowed and the edges trimmed? Are weeds growing and kids toys cluttering it up? Is the paint peeling, is the stucco in good condition? What is the condition of the roof, are repairs needed? This examination will tell you what you need to do to create a favourable impression.

Next, walk in through the front door and continue your inspection. Are there any unpleasant odors? There is no bigger turn off and it is vital that this problem be corrected. Does the house look bright and airy or dark and dingy? To show your home the drapes and shutters need to be open to let in plenty of light. Does the house look neat and tidy or cluttered up? Is there too much furniture? Clutter makes your house look unattractive and the rooms look smaller. It's important for the windows to be clean and the kitchens and bathrooms spotless and shiny.

Is the carpet clean and in good condition? If needed get it cleaned, if it is in poor condition consider replacing it or at least offering a carpet allowance. Is everything in full working order or do you need to get some repairs done? Do you have strong colored paint on the walls? Many people will not share your taste.

Bear in mind that the costs of fixing up your home for sale may be tax deductable, check with your CPA..

Here is a list of items to attend to:

• Mow and edge the lawn.
• Remove all weeds, especially those growing between the cracks in the driveway.
• Pick up leaves.
• Trim trees and shrubs.
• Cut back overgrown shrubs that are hiding architectural features.
• Pressure wash dirty siding and driveway.
• Consider painting the exterior wood trim.
• Make any needed stucco repairs.
• Repair and, if necessary, paint fences and gates.
• Tidy up the garage workbench.
• Consider the benefit of a new front door
• How about a new doormat.
• Get rid of any junk around the property.
• Keep garage door closed.
• Consider the impact of a new, upgraded mailbox.
• Repair any broken or cracked windows.
• Clean any debris from the rain gutters, paint and repair if needed.
• Consider putting in some flowers if your house is in need of a little extra something.
• Clean windows inside and out.
• Consider adding window shutters.
• Perhaps a big potted plant next to the front door.
• Consider a new front door knob to spruce it up a little.
• Put away garden implements and tools.
• Have a garage sale to get rid of the stuff you have accumulated but do not really need.
• All unpleasant odors must be eliminated.
• Pack away personal items like photographs and trophys.
• Put away small kitchen appliances and other items that are sitting on countertops and tables.
• Spruce a room up with a vase of cut flowers, a potted plant or a large bowl of fresh fruit.
• Move furniture away from high traffic areas to create a more spacious impression.
• Place any excess furniture in storage.
• If it's noisy outside then keep the windows closed.
• Clean or replace carpets.
• Organize closets and cabinets (makes them look bigger).
• Patch any holes in drywall.
• Paint walls and trim using neutral colors.
• Replace any switch plates that are not in excellent condition.
• Clean the baseboards and door and window moldings.
• Fix any sticking doors, windows or cabinet drawers.
• Check and repair caulking in bathtubs and showers.
• Don't leave dirty pots and plates in the sink.
• Fix any leaking faucets.
• Remove photographs and other small items from table-tops
• Replace any failed light bulbs/fluorescent tubes.
• Set the dinner table to make it look attractive.
• Put fresh clean towels in the bathrooms.
• Repair any cracked tiles.
• Don't distract attention from a bay window by putting a large piece of furniture there.
• Clean the oven on the inside.
• Replace that ugly old shower curtain.
• Use attractive bedspreads.
• Do run the heating/air conditioning to keep the temperature inside the house comfortable.

Download Stewart Title Report: Exterior Checklist

Download Stewart Title Report: Interior Checklist

When you think you have done everything necessary to stage your house go visit a model home and see how they do it. How does your house compare? Does this give you any ideas? Do you have more work to do?