Top 10 Staging Tips

Thinking of selling your home? Want to get the most money possible in the least amount of time?

Then staging is your friend. Here are my top 10 tips for staging any home.

1. Make sure your home is CLEAN. I mean, spotless. You need to be looking at your home the way buyers do, and you would be amazed at the kinds of they notice. One of the things they notice is dirt. Grime. Dust. Cobwebs. These will literally distract buyers from the positive qualities of your home, and cost you offers. It may make sense to hire a professional housecleaner and have the home professionally deep-cleaned, including around, under and behind everything. Have carpets and windows cleaned, and scrub any walls that may be dirty.

2. No CLUTTER! Don't leave papers or anything else on flat surfaces. Countertops, tables, floors must all be kept neat and free of unnecessary items.

3. COLOR is important. Your home doesn't need to be "real estate beige," but if you have any wild colors on the walls, the time to tone them down is before you sell. Same goes for purple carpet. Offering a paint or carpet bonus doesn't work because buyers "only buy what they can see." If there are 2 similar homes on the market and one needs paint, the one that needs paint will sell last.

4. "If you can smell it, you can't sell it" So, take it easy with cooking those spicy dishes while your home is on the market. Keep the catbox clean and take out the garbage EVERY DAY. I know, you probably already do that, but this message is for those who don't. I have seen buyers pass up homes that they otherwise loved because of strong odors. So don't let this happen to you.

5. "If you can't see it, you can't sell it" This is another Barb Schwarz-ism that sums up very nicely the ill-effect of overgrown landscaping and indoor plants. Don't let them overshadow what you want buyers to see (your home).

6. Deferred maintenance--take care of it BEFORE going on the market. You will have the luxury of shopping for the best price, rather than going with the only contractor who can replace your roof before you close (rush jobs cost more). If you don't know what needs to be done, talk to your realtor or have a home pre-inspection done.

7. Vacant vs. "vignettes" If you're trying to sell your home vacant, it probably makes sense to consider leaving a few pieces of furniture and decor behind, in order to help buyers see how furniture fits in the rooms, and how the space can be used. Buyers have a hard time warming up to vacant rooms.

8. Go outside and look at your home from the street. How does it look? Grass should be mown, hedges trimmed, weeds weeded. Flowers are an inexpensive way to improve your home's curb appeal and provide contrast and texture to a yard that otherwise doesn't catch the eye.

9. Clean out your closets and garage, and STORE all your extra stuff while you are on the market. It doesn't make sense to stage the entire house and exterior and then leave a pile of stuff in your closet, waiting to fall on the next unsuspecting buyer. It detracts from the overall impression of the house, and makes it seem as if the home doesn't have enough space. Don't give buyers a chance to think this--if you don't need it while you are on the market, hire a POD (portable on demand storage) to get rid of it until you sell. You may even find that after going a few weeks without the stuff, you don't need or want it after all. Moving is good for helping us sort the wheat from the chaff!

10. Make sure your MLS pictures look great. If your agent doesn't take great pictures (ask to see samples!) have them hire a professional so that all your hard work staging doesn't get overlooked on the MLS due to bad pictures.