| As a certified home stager, people often ask me | | | | them as to how well you have paid attention to |
| how they can best prepare their home to sell in | | | | details when maintaining your home. It may seem |
| today's sluggish Real Estate market. My answer is | | | | unimportant to you but buyer surveys have |
| simple. Get back to the basic principles of good | | | | indicated that it isn't to them! |
| design to create multiple, memorable, 'first | | | | . . . balanced. Have you ever been in a room |
| impressions'! | | | | where you felt uncomfortable and weren't sure |
| Today's prospective home buyer is more savvy | | | | exactly why? Chances are the room was |
| than ever before. Statistics show that 85% of | | | | unbalanced due to furniture which was out of |
| people first browse the MLS listings on the | | | | scale and proportion for the room. It could also |
| internet to determine which homes they want to | | | | have been that the colors, textures or lighting |
| personally see. Therefore, compelling photographs | | | | were not distributed evenly. Maintaining visual |
| representing a staged home in showcase condition | | | | balance with your furnishings is essential in |
| is critically important. This often can make the | | | | achieving a sense of comfort, well being, and |
| difference between a house that sells quickly and | | | | good home staging. |
| a house that will languish on the market for | | | | . . . cohesive. Your eye carries color from room to |
| months, unseen. | | | | room. It is important to determine an overall color |
| The art of successfully staging homes to get | | | | scheme for your home, usually a combination of 3 |
| properties sold quickly and at the best possible | | | | to 5 colors, and stick with it. This does not mean |
| price is a service which has been widely adopted. | | | | that every room will look alike. On the contrary, |
| Homebuilders have been using this marketing | | | | each room should have it's own personality while |
| technique for many years to create an emotoinal | | | | maintaining a cohesive flow of color and style. And |
| connection with their prospective buyer. They | | | | remember, your color choices will psychologically |
| have known that a well merchandised model is a | | | | communicate with your potential buyers. For |
| minimum investment with a maximum return, | | | | example: Red conveys excitement, blue evokes |
| giving them that all important edge in a | | | | tranquillity, pink has a calming effect, yellow sends |
| competitive market. What model merchandising | | | | the message of happiness and light, and green |
| has done for the homebuilders, home staging is | | | | signifies life and growth. And when you use black |
| now doing for individual home sellers and Realtors | | | | you are communicating the feeling of |
| nationally. | | | | sophistication and elegance. Know what message |
| Barbara Corcoran, the dynamic, successful New | | | | you want to convey when making your |
| York real estate mogul was recently quoted as | | | | selections. |
| saying, "Home staging, once considered an option | | | | . . . descriptive. The home should tell a story, |
| by real estate professionals, has now become a | | | | depicting a lifestyle which will encourage buyers to |
| necessity." The benefits of home staging are | | | | visualize themselves living there, entertaining |
| evident. | | | | there, raising their family there. Each room in the |
| The following is a simple guide outlining the basics | | | | home should be a designated space that is |
| of good home staging for both the professionals | | | | memorable and incorporates the WOW factor! |
| and individuals who want to prepare their homes | | | | . . . staged with the potential buyer in mind. Pay |
| for a quicker, more profitable sale . . . | | | | attention to demographics. Who is your targetted |
| Good home staging is . . . | | | | market? Young professionals with children, empty |
| . . . simple. Less is more when staging your home | | | | nesters? Is it a golf club community or on the |
| to sell. It's important to remember that you are | | | | water? Your staging should reflect and incorporate |
| selling square footage and therefore need to | | | | subtle furnishings associated with them, again |
| make the rooms look and feel as large and open | | | | forming that very important emotional connection |
| as possible. Declutter - declutter - then declutter | | | | with your potential buyer, making them feel like |
| again. When you have too much furniture, | | | | this is 'home'. |
| artwork, accessories or just 'fluff' you run the risk | | | | Finally, two basic things to remember when |
| of sending your potential buyer into sensory | | | | preparing a home for sale: #1. The way you live in |
| overload! | | | | a home, and the way you stage a home for sale |
| . . . organized. Get organized! Downsize what's in | | | | are two different things. A house on the market |
| your closets, garage, pantry etc. Clear the | | | | must be viewed as a product, and staged to |
| countertops in your kitchen and bath areas. Keep | | | | appeal to a broad range of people. |
| refrigerator surfaces clear of magnets and | | | | Depersonalization of the house is necessary in |
| pictures of the kids. Have a garage sale to get rid | | | | order for buyers to emotionally connect with the |
| of all the excess stuff you haven't used or worn | | | | home and imagine themselves living there. #2. |
| in years. Box up out of season clothes, childrens | | | | First impressions are made within seconds of |
| toys that won't be missed and stacks of books | | | | entering each area of a home. You have only one |
| that you've been meaning to read. And as a | | | | chance to make these 'first impressions' |
| special reminder, organize your linen closet. This is | | | | memorable! |
| a hot spot for potential buyers. An indicator to | | | | |