If you want to sell your house for top dollar, you must “stage” it. Staging is all visual; it’s all about presentation and aims to make rooms pleasing to the eye. It is about how to set the scene in your home to make others think positively about moving in, so buyers can envision themselves living there. It sounds like a lot of extra work, but it really helps to sell, especially in a market with extensive inventory as we have today in
Miami.
Staging does not have to be a great expense. I do really believe the five most important facts in staging a property are:
1. De-clutter it. When you put your house on the market you are selling space. Buyers dream of space; they want to see open countertops, big closets, lot of square footage, so the goal is to make your house look as large as possible.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your clutter. If it seems overwhelming, take baby steps. Try one- hour decluttering sessions. Let me assure you that the time you spend throwing or putting things away will also help to make your moving easier.
2. Clean it. A thorough cleaning is really the other key thing to do to renew your home without spending any money. Pressure-clean the roof, the exterior walls and the windows. On the inside, clean the carpets thoroughly, vacuum and wash the drapes and window treatments, clean the floor, wipe down all the countertops, clean the air conditioning closet and put in new filters, etc. A clean house sends a clear message that your house is impeccable, well-maintained and is in “move in condition.”
3. Paint it. Painting is the cheapest investment that will give you the best return when you sell a home. A fresh coat of paint will really make the room feel bigger, lighter and brighter. Go for neutral colors! If you have out of date wallpaper, get rid of it!
4. Light up the whole house. Get rid of heavy drapes, open the blinds, turn on all the lights, change any burned out light bulbs. Buy extra lamps for dark corners. Buy some nice scented candles and light them up during showings or open houses. Buyers love bright spaces.
5. Refresh your landscaping. First impressions are very important. A nice garden with fresh mulch, nice flowers and nice greenery will repay your investment. Surveys done by the National Association of Realtors on costs vs. value demonstrate that 6% of the value of your home is your garden.
Staging is not a miracle recipe. It won’t fix the tragedy of sitting on the market for several months if your house is priced too high, but if the price is right, staging will help your home to stand out against the competition. Before you put your house in the market, ask your real estate agent about improvements to make the house look more desirable to buyers.
A professional real estate agent will always advise you to stage your home. Let me tell you a story. A few months ago I listed a property, and as part of my services I always provide my clients with a list of staging suggestions. I was discussing the list with them, when one of the sellers, the wife, burst into tears and angrily demanded, “What else? What else?” Of course, I do not have to say that I almost had a heart attack. I did not know what was going on. I always prided myself on being very diplomatic, but in this case, I had a client close to nervous breakdown!
I told my clients that I was sorry if I had offended them with my staging suggestions in any way and left quickly. I ran to get a bunch of flowers and box of chocolates (that’s what my husband gets me when I feel sad) got up my courage and rang the bell again. I apologized and gave the presents to the husband (who told me his wife had had a bad day at work) and I left quickly.
The following week, when I showed the house again, my clients had complied with all my suggestions! Soon after, we got a very good offer. The house sold and I even got a nice testimonial letter from my clients about how grateful they were for my staging suggestions. I guess in this case the unintended moral is, cry, but stage to sell!!
