Staging a home is a critical first step in the selling of any home. Many people used to refer to this process as ‘cleaning’, but over the years a simple clean that would of sufficed, just doesn’t hold up anymore. Home staging has developed into an industry unto itself with businesses offering home staging services cropping up all over the place.
Realistically, you should be able to do most aspects of staging yourself. The first step is to start depersonalizing the home. This entails taking down all those family portraits from the walls and packing away that collection of teacups on the dining room hutch buffet. You know, buyers get stuck looking at those photographs and collectibles instead of focusing on the home and picturing themselves living there.
The second step of any staging process is to remove clutter. Take a quick look around your home. What is not necessary? Is there furniture and excess “stuff” lying around? Do rooms seem clamped or too busy? Part of staging is arranging the furniture and decorations into a pleasing configuration that highlights the features of a room while providing open access to the room to viewers. Walkways within a room should be clearly defined and visitors should not have to go out of their way to move about the room. Essentially a room should have an open feel and a “flow” that is pleasing to the eye.
Try to think in terms of your home being on display, as that is what will actually be happening during the sale. Your home needs to be memorable to viewers who come to see it and create interest in those who view it online. Take the time to create a soothing environment for prospective buyers, they will appreciate the effort and you could be rewarded with a contract.
