Home Staging ®
Just turn on the TV and you will find shows on how to stage your home. We know that it DOES work! As part of our commitment to you when you list your home with us, we will provide you with a consultation on how to stage your home, as well as tips on how to do that, and we will bring in the little things that you may need to spruce up your home, like pictures, drapes, mirrors, plants, to name a few. If the home is vacant, we will load our trailer and bring the furniture in as well…..at no extra cost to you. This is an added commitment to you, to help you sell your home quickly and for top dollar.
Here are some tips for you on some little things that you can do to help us sell your home expediently.
- Emotionally detach. Especially if you’ve lived there a long time, it’s hard, but crucial, to let go, and think of your house objectively as a product on a shelf. Your memories will last forever — but hopefully the selling process won’t.
- Depersonalize. Remove trophies, children’s artwork, religious artifacts, and family pictures. You want buyers to fantasize themselves here, not feel as if they’re intruding on your personal space.
- Declutter. Remove extra furniture, rooms that are pared down feel bigger, and also allow the buyer to imagine her furniture in the space.
Neutralize. The secret behind great hotel décor is that it appeals to a wide set of tastes, and so should your décor. Funky red and green walls may be great for you, but could turn off a buyer. Same with artwork—they might not know that your plaster Elvis is supposed to be ironic. - Maximize curb appeal. Drive around the neighbourhood, looking at which houses look most appealing and why. Chances are it’s because the grass is trimmed, the urns are planted, the bushes are pruned, the trim is painted, and the home looks well cared for. Your home’s exterior should look equally polished.
- Pet peeves. It may seem cold, but not everyone finds half-chewed toys in the living room, messy pet bowls, and the distinctive aroma of a well-used litterbox to be charming, nor do they share your love for four-legged (or finned) friends. Keep aquariums and small-animal cages spotless (there are companies that will clean them for you if you haven’t got time), and/or consider boarding Fido, Fluffy or Squeaky with a friend, at least while you’re showing the house.
- Clean as a whistle. Nothing—not even fresh paint—will give you a higher return on your investment than a good top-to-bottom cleaning, whether by professionals or by you. This means more than dusting and vacuuming: wash windows inside and out, power-wash the outside of your home, wash cupboard fronts and floors, have furniture and carpets cleaned.
- Up the décor quotient. Even if your home is decorated beautifully, a few extra touches can make the difference that leads to a sale. Put silk (or fresh) flowers in pretty vases throughout the house. Replace heavy draperies with light, linen ones. Throw pillows can light up a dreary sofa. And fresh paint makes even the saddest room look more cheerful.
- Romance the big day. On the day of the open house, bring in fresh flowers, light scented candles, and put a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter. Turn on all the lights (especially in darker rooms or on darker days), and make sure all doors in the home, even the bathroom door, are open. And of course, tidy up all evidence of your family’s recent occupation: shampoo bottles out of sight, beds made, laundry put away, counters clean, dishwasher emptied.
