Staging Your Home

When preparing to sell your house, the goal is to make prospective buyers think “home” when they first walk through the door. Many real estate agents help their clients with this through a practice called “staging.” Staging visually enhances your home to make it more attractive, broadening your home’s appeal to a wider audience, and making it possible to sell faster and for
a higher price. You can stage a house yourself, but many hire a Stager to advise them or to do the actual staging.

Sometimes, having someone rearrange your home can be disconcerting. Remember that a Stager is not telling you how you should live in your home, but how to arrange your house to create more appeal for buyers.

Staging Tips

Make your house as neutral as possible: Paint walls a neutral color; Put away children’s artwork, personal photos, and mementos; Do not over- or under-light your rooms.

Make it look as big as possible: Rearrange or remove furniture to maximize space; Box unneeded items away, storing them offsite, if possible; Don’t allow clutter to accumulate on kitchen or bathroom countertops, etc.

Have your home ready to show at all times: Deep clean carpets and draperies; Organize closets; Keep kitchen and bathrooms scrubbed clean; Use throws, pillows, artwork, and even fresh flowers to better accessorize.

Don’t overlook curb appeal: Maintain a neat and welcoming yard—keep grass trimmed and gardens weeded; Shovel walkways in winter; Put a wreath on your front door for a friendly welcome.

(back)