Staging your home is probably the most important factor when selling your home and getting asking price. You must show that your home is worth the asking price.
Put yourself in the purchaser´s shoes. Would you buy your home at the price you are asking?
1. Curb Appearance
** The property should be free of debris (trash) and unappealing elements (old bikes, tires and parts of this, that and the other).**
A. Is the mail box nice? Are the house numbers clearly marked on the box and the house?
B. A few bright flowers will add an invitation from the road.
C. Please keep the garage door down.
2. Viewing the Exterior
- If winter, driveway and sidewalks should be plowed or shoveled then salted.
- Peeling paint should be fixed.
- Window screens if any should be in, if winter, second window if any should be installed.
**Walk around the premises, if something catches your eye, it will the purchaser too. **
3. Entering the Home: This is the most important view of the home.
A. Is the front door clean and bright?
B. The floor should be vacuumed or swept.
C. Are the walls clean, do they need paint?
4. Safety for you and your REALTOR®.
A. Please remove all personal pictures.
a. Safety, we don´t know everyone that comes through your home for viewing. If you have children you must not have their pictures out. It´s not a good idea for just anyone to know who or how many people live in any home.
B. Guns
a. Safety, we don´t know everyone that comes through your home. A Gun cabinet and shell box is a giveaway that there are guns somewhere in the home. REALTORS® have been hurt and killed with guns found in homes. Please take your guns out of the home.
C. Medicine
a. Safety, we don´t know everyone that comes through your home. People looking at homes typically open medicine cabinets to look for space, they open kitchen cupboards to view space. Please take your medicine with you.
5. Scanning the Interior of the Home
*****You can never have too much light.*****
*****Please make sure all light fixtures have working light bulbs in place.*****
*****For all showings, please make sure all curtains, blinds and shades are fully open.*****
A. Look at your carpet; do you like what you see? Should it be cleaned or should the price reflect a need for flooring.
B. How are the walls? This is a heartbreaker for most sellers. Please consider removing the wallpaper. You can paint it or buy wall board, or just remove it.
**Wallpaper is a reflection of you and your likes. Purchasers look at wallpaper as work. They have to remove the paper themselves our pay to have it done. This is the biggest deterrent in Online Open Houses and Visual Tours, purchasers see the wallpaper. Remember, we are trying to get you the most money for your home.**
C. Stairs
a. Please remove all items from all stairs. This is for safety and stairs are not meant for storage.
D.Items on the walls.
a. Nothing on the walls is best. By having nothing on the walls, the purchaser can view the home and imagine their items in the home. They also see that the walls are in great shape.
E. Kitchen and Bath
a. Cabinets should be clean.
b. Faucets should not leak.
c. Appliances and counter tops should be clean, possibly shine.
d. Towels and washcloths should be out of site and in pantry or other area. Towels in store bought shelves will make the bathroom appear smaller and tell the purchaser there is not enough storage.
e. All personal items removed from counters. Counters should be empty, except coffee pot.Personal items should be in cabinets. The area needs to reflect there is plenty of room for everything.
F. Bedrooms
a. Please place all items in drawers and in closets. Please do not have items hanging on doors and setting on dressers. The area needs to reflect, there is plenty of room for everything.
b. Beds should be made. Please do not leave night clothes or laundry on the bed. These are personal items for your eyes only.
c. Perfumes and polishes should be put away; again personal items are for your eyes only. The purchaser needs to picture their own items in the room.
G. The Basement and Garage
a. A fresh coat of paint is nice while not always possible. Please remove all cob webs.
b. Remember, keep the stairs clear.
Other Reminders:
Many cultures are now uniting in the United States. We must remember that when selling our homes, our own beliefs and culture may offend or just scare off a potential purchaser. When sellings our homes, we must try to take our personalities and beliefs out of the home. The structure and foundation must be the vocal point of the home. We know this is hard to do when you are still living in the home, but please put yourself in the purchasers shoes. Our goal is to sell your home as quickly as possible for the highest price possible.
Staging Counsultant
| Janine Smith |
| Janine Smith Interiors |
| Davison, MI 48423 |
| Phone:(810) 658-4726 |
| Office:(810) 658-4726 |
| Email:JanineTSmith@hotmail.com |
