SEVEN SIMPLE STAGING SECRETS FOR SELLERS

SEVEN SIMPLE STAGING SECRETS
When it comes to staging a home for sale, sellers should create a warm, inviting yet neutral atmosphere that will appeal to as many potential buyers as possible. The good news is, sellers dont need to do a complete design overhaul to get a great result.
Coldwell Banker offers seven simple staging tips to help boost a homes appeal and give owners a competitive edge to help sell their home.
Stage rooms with one purpose. Rooms that have many uses can confuse or even deter homebuyers, so staging rooms with one purpose is vital. Determine who your most likely target market will be, whether its young professionals with no kids, families, or even empty nesters. Then present your areas to fit their needs. If youve been using a room as a guest room/kids playroom/home office, pick the one use that best suits your buyers.

Tackle the easy "do-it-yourself" projects. In a Coldwell Banker consumer survey of first time buyers, the vast majority said move-in conditions are very important in their search. Spruce up your home by replacing outdated kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Add a fresh coat of paint. Repaint or refinish kitchen cabinets and update with new hardware.

Focus on the living areas. Potential buyers should envision themselves entertaining friends and family in the living areas of the home. Make sure those areas feel as spacious as possible by removing any unnecessary furniture to allow for easy traffic flow.

Make sure the master bedroom appeals to both sexes. Remember that the master bedroom is a room that a couple will be sharing, so the dcor should appeal to both sexes. It should feel like a calm and peaceful refuge, not a frilly boudoir. Remove any feature that seems too gender-specific and paint the walls a neutral colour.

Clear away family photos and mementos. Buyers want to picture their family living in a home, not the previous owners. Put away family portraits, personal collections and knickknacks. Removing these items will also eliminate clutter and ensure that people are focusing on the home, not the photos from the last family vacation.

Furnish the home, but dont overdo it. While an empty house may look spacious, its often hard for buyers to visualize their belongings in a home if theyre just looking at bare walls and floors. Leave the basic components that allow the viewer to define each room.

Dont forget the outside spaces. First impressions can play a key role in a consumers decision-making process, so dont neglect your homes curb appeal. Make sure the homes exterior is inviting by trimming the bushes, mowing the lawn and painting faded window trim. Buyers will appreciate the sellers efforts with the yard work, and will tend to assume that the same attention to detail has been devoted throughout the property.