Staging Tips to Sell for the Most Money! This post is for anyone who is considering selling their home soon or sometime in the future. That pretty much covers most of us, so pay close attention! What if I told you that with some effort, you could sell your home for faster and for the most money possible? Would you believe me? The market is always a roller coaster and right now, things are going well. However, there is something you can do to make your home sell at a better price than your neighbors and that is to STAGE YOUR HOME!
The benefits of our staging tips to sell for the most money have been proven time and time again. I have had multiple situations whether in with my own homes or those I’ve staged for friends or clients, that have sold immediately and for a pretty price! We actually sold a home in 2009 (remember 2009? Awful market!) for exactly what we asked for because it was staged.
Another example is my brother had tried to sell his home for 4 months with only 2 showings! This was a stunning, custom built home with acreage but most of the rooms were empty. I finally convinced them to let me stage it. New pictures were taken and put on the website. Within 2 weeks, they had an offer from someone across the country who loved the house based on the pictures! He spent 4 months stewing over putting an extra $20,000 into a garage to help his house sell and all it ended up needing was to be staged to grab someone’s attention. Now, do I have your attention? Let’s talk about things you can do to get your home ready and the staging tips to sell for the most money!
Staging Tips to Sell for the Most Money!
1. Embrace the fact that it is no longer your house
This is one of the most important staging tips. It is time to turn your home into something someone else would want to purchase! De-personalize and de-clutter. Accept that grandma’s quilt on your bed and a house full of heirlooms may deter people from liking your home.
2. Freshen Your Home Up
The best way to do this is with fresh paint and possibly new carpet but at least clean the carpets. You may get lucky and get a couple that walks through who enjoys painting but those are rare. I like to tell sellers that wives are well aware if their husbands are going to paint over that red accent wall. If she knows it’s something he won’t do, she will discount the house because she knows it will be that color for years. Yes, it’s a pain to paint or pay someone to paint but the easier you make it on the buyer, the best offer you’ll get! Go with something neutral. As for carpets, please clean them. Look at your furniture. Does it look gross and worn? Sometimes new pillows help but consider renting or buying some new pieces to help with the overall feel of the room.
3. De-Clutter
Even though you love all the furniture in your home and the items in your closets; buyers will not have the same attachment. They will become attached to the amount of space and storage in the home. When we were house shopping, we found a fantastic home! It had a spiral staircase in the family room that led up to a secret loft. So awesome! However, Colby could not look past the fact that it was May and Christmas décor was still up. The bedrooms only had a walking path because of the clutter and the sunroom was a storage room. He worried that all the clutter could be hiding pest issues or worse. If the house had been clean and de-junked, we probably would have made an offer. Rent a storage unit and hide your stuff in there.
4. Make the Repairs
Don’t be fooled into thinking a buyer will look past something. When buyers go through a house, immediately they have a running tab of what money will need to be spent on repairs and start deducting that from an offer they might put in. Give them no reason to start dwindling down the asking price. Make the repairs needed on the house to show that the house has been maintained and not make the buyer think there could be lurking, hidden problems.
5. Erase Signs of Pets
Yes, there a lot of pet lovers out there, but there are also some who don’t enjoy pets. Erase odors and signs of hair/fur on the carpet, furniture, bedding, etc. Repair chew marks in cabinets and scratched up doors.
6. Create the Model Home Effect
If you’ve never been through a model home, I suggest you walk through one before you put your house on the market. Notice the feeling you get in that home. THAT’S the feeling your home needs to have to buyers. It needs to be spotlessly clean, de-cluttered, smell good, inviting, neutral, beautifully decorated, etc. Allow your home to leave a positive lasting impression on buyers. One they feel they can’t forget.
7. Pretend You Don’t Live There
You heard me right. You can’t live there while you’re living there. The house must stay clean. You need to have towels on towel bars that you aren’t allowed to use because they must look fresh, not moist from your shower. Dishes can’t pile up in the sink, and there can’t be mounds of toys in every corner of your home. Your home has to be “show ready” at the drop of a hat when a buyer gives you 15 minutes’ notification they want to see the house. I gave my kids a small box to fill with toys. Everything else went in storage. I wanted minimal toys to clean up before each showing.
It’s a lot of work to get a home ready to sell. You have to keep reminding yourself that it is worth it in the end when you get a thrilling offer. I remember being so exhausted getting our homes ready but we’ve always received what we want with asking price. The same goes for several homes I’ve staged for friends or clients. They end up with full price offers a couple of days after listing. It was well worth the hard work to get the house ready. I’d be happy to be a set of fresh eyes to help you see the staging potential your home has and help you get the best offer possible! It’s important to look at these staging tips with an open mind and eyes!
About Balance & Harmony 360², Inc.
Owned and operated by Melinda Smith, CPO®, we offer Business Training & Consulting with a Twist! Our sweet spot is working with Entrepreneur’s and their companies to create a productive work environment, happy home, and prosperous you! Our passion is listening to clients goals, thinking through solutions and coming up with creative 360² action plans that address work, home, and you! Learn to Love Going to Work Again! Increase Time with Your Family! Get Things Done! Our process is simple and geared toward the professional. You CAN get your LIFE back in BALANCE!
Audrey Whiteley, CSE®
Audrey works for Balance & Harmony 360², as a Certified Staging Expert in the HOME Division. The home environment affects your health, productivity, and happiness. She works with individuals who need to freshen-up outdated décor, “show” a room’s potential or help homeowners create a lifestyle. Audrey makes the most of your surroundings whether you are staging for a quick sale, building a home, or want to elicit a more vibrant and peaceful setting in which to live.
Audrey Can Help Create
- Ideas or Design Boards
- Room Layouts and Arrangements
- Organization Solutions
- Home Staging DIY Reports
- Pre-Move Prep Strategies and Moving Plans
- Purchasing and Hands-On Staging and Decorating
- Project Management from Start to Finish
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