Prepping Your Home for Sale Part II: How to Stage Your Home Like a Pro

You probably already know that staged homes often sell for more money and faster than those homes that aren’t as well-presented. But working with a professional home stager can be expensive. Check out these ten easy things you can do on a budget to make your home look like it was staged by a pro:

1. Your home can’t be too clean. Dust, vacuum, clean the windows, and mop the floors. Make sure there are no unpleasant odors in the air or obvious stains on the carpet or furniture.
2. Get rid of the clutter. When you “do more with less”, you home will feel larger and more spacious. Remove oversized and unnecessary furnishings, and clean out your closets, cabinets, and drawers. Clear all unnecessary objects from the kitchen countertops. Remove magnets, pictures, and messages from the refrigerator door. In the bathroom, get rid of unnecessary items on your countertops, tub, shower stall, and commode top. Decluttering now will also make your move down the road less complicated.
3. Let in the light. More light helps homes feel more inviting, cleaner, and more spacious. Open the curtains, turn on all the lights in your house, and remove anything in front of windows that might be blocking the natural light.
4. Incorporate pillows and throws. Create a pleasing, coordinated appearance to sofas and chairs by adding throws and pillows in matching colors and patterns. This helps to soften the room and adds multiple points of interest.
5. Set a welcoming mood. Consider lighting a fire in the fireplace or playing soft music throughout your house.
6. Create homey vignettes. Place bouquets of fresh flowers on the dresser and set the kitchen table. Place a folded newspaper with a coffee cup on a small table by the lounge chair. These small touches evoke a feeling of “home”.
7. Beware of pet odors. If you have pets, get all rugs steam cleaned and be extra vigilant about vacuuming and washing surfaces. Be sure to keep pet toys and doggie bones hidden when tours are scheduled.
8. Go easy on the scents. While you want your home to smell pleasant, keep in mind that many people are allergic to various scents and deodorizers. Instead, you might consider opening the windows to let in fresh air, or baking a pie or cookies.
9. Maintain a comfortable temperature. You don’t want it to be so cold in your house that buyers are shivering or so warm that they’re sweating. As a rule, 70 to 75 degrees is a comfortable range.
10. Appeal to their stomachs. People love to munch on tasty treats when they’re checking out houses. It usually encourages them to hang out longer, too, so set out some candy, cookies, soft drinks, bottled water or anything else you think will be enticing.

Read “Prepping your home for Sale Part 1: Twelve Foolproof Ways to Make a Great First Impression on Buyers.”

Certified Title is a Title Insurance, Search and Settlement Services provider that uses the latest technology to make managing documents, communicating and closing transactions a breeze. To learn more, visit Certified Title today or call (888) 486-5511.