Stage your home and sell faster
Staged homes typically sell faster than vacant homes, and when staging is done right it can showcase the strongest features of your home. It’s important to let potential buyers see what rooms will look like instead of forcing them to visualize an empty space. If you give potential buyers a chance to visualize themselves in the home, it can turn the home buying process into an emotional purchase.
Staging Services
Jacquie’s eye for design and aesthetics can help you create the visual appeal that will draw buyers. She specializes in two main staging services:
- Consulting
- Photo styling
Consultation or “consulstaging” services typically consist of an informal walk-through to discuss how furnishings can be arranged to create visual appeal.
Photo styling involves professional photography sessions. A digital picture on an ad or website is the first contact a potential buyer has with your house, so you want your listing to stand out.
Proper Staging Can Help Your Home Sell
Staged homes look better in print or internet ads and listings, and they are typically on the market for less time than vacant homes. Staged homes often sell for more because a furnished home sends the message that the home is “well maintained” and it gives the impression that it’s “move-in” ready. Staged homes typically receive more foot traffic, and professionally staged homes linger in a buyer’s memory.
Key Areas to Consider
When you’re preparing your home for staging, it can be overwhelming to consider all the rooms in your house or what to clean first. There are key areas of the house to specifically pay attention to. These are areas that buyers will see first or be on the lookout for.
Curb Appeal – This refers to any area a buyer can see from the street. Make sure the front porch is swept and tidy and the front door and shutters are a good color that goes with the exterior of the house. Make sure any bushes in the front gardens are trimmed and the grass has been cut. Pay attention to sidewalks or walkways to make sure trees or bushes don’t touch people as they walk up to the house. Pressure washing the exterior of the house can also make a good first impression.
Paying close attention to these areas can make a big difference and help improve the buyer’s first impression of your home.
Entry
Snap judgments happen in the first 10 to 15 seconds after entering a home. Make sure any light fixtures are clean and the flooring is freshly vacuumed or scrubbed. Pay extra attention to any rooms seen from the entryway such as dining rooms, the study, or a living room.
Main Living Area
This is the principle space in the home where families may spend most of their time, so you want to make sure your buyers can easily see the room’s square footage. Accentuate a focal point, such as a fireplace or outdoor patio.
Kitchen
Kitchens are typically the most expensive room in the house due to the number of appliances. Clear counter spaces to show off the maximum amount of space. Make sure the fridge doesn’t show personal photos or magnets. You’ll also want to take time to clean inside and out to make the kitchen look like new, and yes, this includes the inside of the oven.
Master Suite
The master bedroom is a retreat for the owner and it’s the primary bedroom buyer’s take note of. Make sure the floor is clear and the master bathroom is clean, smells fresh, and is decluttered.
Outdoor Living
This area is gaining importance so be careful to clean off any screened-in porches or patios. Arrange outdoor furniture in an inviting way to help show off the exterior of your house.
Undefined Areas
Some rooms can be lost value if you don’t have a clear definition for them. Even turning a junk room into a guest room or extra living space can let the buyer know any space in the house is usable.
Tips to Prepare your Home for Staging with Pets
Clean, clean, clean. It’s a pain, but when you’re getting ready to sell your house you want to make sure the rooms are tidied up and all clutter is put away. You don’t want to take attention away from the home and clutter can make your house seem smaller than it actually is. Cleaning is important for any house staging, but more so when you have pets. You want your home to appeal to all buyers, and while it’s inconvenient to remove all pet items, taking the steps to stage your house will pay off in the end.
Pets are hard on any flooring, so make sure that you’ve spot cleaned any areas where a pet may have left a mark. Carpet cleaning is also helpful to make sure you’ve removed stains or smells from the carpet. Vacuuming daily can also help get rid of excess pet hair.
As a pet owner, it’s easy to grow accustomed to seeing pet fur on the floor or furniture but potential buyers will be aware of tufts of fur in the corners of rooms. Cleaning room vents can cut down on the amount of pet fur in the air, and even a quick vacuum inside the vent and along the outside grating can do a lot.
As with fur, you also become accustomed to the smell of your own home and the smell of your pets. Be sure to remove odor and smells by opening the windows to air the house out. Take steps to deodorize your house or call a professional cleaner if your own cleaning is not enough to negate pet smells. Burning scented candles or using air fresheners can also give your house an inviting and pleasant smell.
For many buyers, the fact that a pet lived in the house may discourage them to buy. One of the hardest steps of staging is to put away any personalized items. The goal of staging your home is to make potential buyers envision themselves in that home. Remove personalized pictures, and refrigerator art that may otherwise distract buyers from viewing the home as their future residence.
It helps to be neutral and tidy. Storing pet toys, food bowls, leashes, crates, bedding, and other pet items allows for home buyers to focus on what they came to see. Their new home!
And lastly, make sure you double-check the yard. Buyers will need to walk through the yard to look at the property and you don’t want them to have to dodge piles left by your dog. Pets may also dig up holes or mess up the grass so take time to clean up anything your pet may have rearranged while running free.
Urine damage can be a big problem, but there are tips and tricks you can use to remove the damaged areas. You can also keep your grass green longer by watering the area to dilute your dog’s contribution. Pets can be rough on a yard or any part of the house, which can add extra challenges to your house staging preparation.
It only takes a few extra steps to clean and replace damaged items, and you’ll be amazed to see how quickly your home will look new again.
For carpet damage:
Mix together 8 oz of peroxide (no stronger than 6%), along with 3 tablespoons of baking soda and a few drops of dish detergent. This combination will not bleach out your carpet color dye, so you want to make sure to measure carefully. Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle and make sure they are well combined. Then apply to the affected area. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and spot dry.
You can also try good old fashion Vinegar. Directly spray diluted vinegar on the urine stained area, leave for 15 minutes before spot dabbing.