Top 10 Home Staging Secrets that Sell

After nearly two decades of experience as an Accredited Staging Professional Master®, I have viewed hundreds of properties in Metro Atlanta.  These 10 home staging tips are the best of my advice I have given my Realtors and Sellers over the years.  These really do help sell a house more quickly, which means more money too!

Let’s face it, your home’s appearance is what gets you to the top of the “must see” list. When I meet a Realtor and Seller for a Walk and Talk Home Staging consultation, we do just that “walk and talk” around the house. I’m looking at what it takes for your property to show at its very best and appeal to the greatest possible pool of Buyers. Here they are! Classic Staging’s Top 10 home staging secrets to prepare your property to sell fast:

1.       FIRST AND BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE:  Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk.  YOU are moving!  Get on board with it and make it happen. No “what ifs”. This attitude will affect the entire process.

2.       CLEAN INSIDE. The house must be Q-tip clean. Hire a professional cleaner.  You have more important things to do! Cleaning should be one of the last things completed and most important before final showcasing of the house. 

3.       CLEAN OUTSIDE.  Perfect Landscape. Pressure wash the house and drive/walkways and clean the windows.   Remove and store the screens.  The house will look brighter on both inside and outside.

4.       DE-CLUTTER and DEPERSONALIZE. You want the Buyer to see your space, not your STUFF.

5.       UPDATE.  Don’t confuse the cost of keeping your property up to date with the investment in staging. You DO need granite, to paint, and update light fixtures.

6.       REPAIR.  If its broken, Fix it. Everything.

7.       PAINT. Fresh paint in the right color will give you a HUGE bang for your buck. Don’t risk the wrong choice.  It isn’t about your personal taste any more, but the most on trend color and the one that complements the other finishes in the room.

8.       REPLACE old carpet.  Shampooing can only do so much.

9.       LOOK at your house everyday while it is on the market.  Some Sellers never use the front entrance, but this is where the Buyer enters.  First impressions are EVERYTHING.

10.   PRETEND you are the Buyer.  Next time you drive into your street and your driveway, see it with new eyes, like a Buyer who has never been there.  Walk through the inside the same way.  You will see it differently.  THIS is how your Buyer sees it.  Adjust as needed.

So NOW you are in the KNOW when it comes to getting started and your home sold! These tips will help you touch the surface, but there is so much more to know.  Want to be truly successful?  Want to take it to the next level? Hire a professional Home Stager for a personalized consultation.  You, your Stager and Realtor will make a great team. It is your house and you make the final choice on how you will present your property to the market.  You will be turning your “home” into a product for sale.  Your Realtor will create a marketing plan based on the product you create.  Pricing, photos, fliers, results, all depend on you the Seller. Presentation, Price, and Location are the big three that are key to a successful sale.

It is your Stager’s responsibility to be critical and share a professional opinion about how you can best present your property to market. Last year, Classic Staging’s projects sold over 50% faster on average than standard listings and for 98% of original list price. Compare that listing price percentage to Georgia Association of Realtors (GAR) average at 96%! Every bit matters. For example, on a $300,000 listing, that extra 2% is $6,000 more than the average sale! Imagine if it is a $600,000 listing or more!

That’s why at Classic Staging, we say STAGE. SELL.SIMPLE.  IT’s Classic!