Have you ever seen those television shows where a buyer cannot envision moving into a home let alone placing their own furniture into the space? The buyers don’t see the actual potential of the house’s worth, and then after a professional stages the home and does some remodeling — PRESTO – the buyer signs a contract and they move in.
This is a scenario that I see on a constant basis sans TV personalities, along with the glitz of the lights and cameras.
It is estimated that ninety percent — again — 90% of buyers have difficulty picturing themselves in a new home, which is a contributing factor in the decision making during the homeownership process.
With that being said, sellers take heed: selling your house is not only about listing, staging is a major part of the equation. Here are some simple steps that can help sellers WOW the buyers, and enhance the salability of the home with the ultimate goal of a signed contract, and a closing.
There are two types of homes that sales associates work with:
The first is an occupied home, where the sellers still live there, and the second is the unoccupied homes that are empty.
With occupied homes, visitors may be turned away from an abundance of clutter, or personal objects, or maybe the house has big, bulky furniture – whatever the case may be, the buyer feels that the home may not be for them.
For the unoccupied homes, one would think an empty space would connote imagery of a person living there. Actually, people point out the negative, a slight crack, odd colors in a room, or missing blinds, old carpeting, dated cabinets – simple, quick fixes are needed that could help a prospective buyer’s possibility of purchasing the property.
In both these types of homes, staging in needed. Studies have shown that staging a home allows it to sell quicker and for more money. While you don’t need to go all out and hire the most expensive interior decorator in town, following some basic staging advice will go a long way toward a quick sale, and price point matched or exceeded.
Step One: Clean and Declutter
Have a spoon or figurine collection, trophies abound? This may sound harsh, and it is not to be taken personally, but do remove items that have sentimental value or may look like clutter: pack them up and store them away. The focus is the room, not collections. Buyers need to envision their items in the room and living in the space.
If you’re confused about what to remove from your home and what should stay, keep in mind that your aim is to make rooms look larger and brighter. Oversized furniture typically make a room look smaller, so store the big stuff and rearrange the smaller furniture to make the room look open and airy.
Go through each room and remove anything that doesn’t fit the room’s purpose. For instance, exercise equipment doesn’t advertise that your office is a place to get work done, so move the treadmill into storage. Do the same with toys and baby items in the living room, either move them to the nursery or store them while the house is on the market. Take pictures off the refrigerator, even the magnets.
When you clean the house, clean everything, from the drapes to the rugs and carpet.
Step Two: Curb Appeal
First impressions go a long way. When a potential buyer pulls up to a driveway of a home they are interested in, initial observations will be made. If the front of the house looks unkept, the buyer may be wary of what is inside.
For less than $75 homeowners can purchase a flat of flowers, hanging baskets, a pair of gloves, trowel, and a bag of dirt, and at least two hours of your time to plant the flowers. Other items to add to your curb appeal check list are painting the front door and front steps, replacing door hardware with new ones, replacing broken front rusty light fixtures, replacing rusty mailbox, etc. which could impact how a buyer will respond to the home and how it has been maintained.
At the very least, give the landscaping a good cleaning and pruning, green up the lawn and keep it mowed. A fresh coat of paint on the front door creates a focal point for the buyer when pulling up to the curb in front of your home.
Step Three: Avoid burning candles and incense
I do caution sellers not to burn scented candles or place fragrant flowers in rooms during the times of open houses or the days you choose to have your home shown. Sometimes scented candles or flowers may trigger allergies and what could be a beautiful house could be thwarted because of a scent. Buyers may also think you are masking a foul odor in the house.
Love toll house cookies? Avoid baking and cooking, as well. What may be aromatically pleasing to you could be a turn off to the buyer.
Step Four: Accentuate rooms
A neutral fresh coat of paint goes a long way. If you like color, accentuate with a pops of color in pillows or area rugs. Strategically place lighting to show the warmth and character of the space.
Step Five: Show off the storage space
Buyers love closet space and storage space. I suggest putting bulky, excess furniture in storage areas, or even renting a storage space for several months. If it is the winter, you may not need your summer wardrobe, so pack that up. Buyers are interested in knowing there is enough room in the house. If they see closets filled to the brim, they will get the impression that the home is not big enough for their items.
All of this can be done with minimal amount of money and time. Do listen to your sales associates who have seen many homes and worked with many buyers and sellers. The professionals are there to provide you with advice. If you have a question, they are there to help. And when you see your home staged, you will understand the necessities of doing so. Your home will be sold in know time!
By Robert Northfield, a top real estate expert in the Maplewood, Millburn, South Orange, West Orange areas and surrounding towns at KW Mid-Town Direct.
