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Health & Fitness

Real Estate Question of the Week: Does home staging help sell a home?

Home staging to ensure selling your home in today's Market. Staging can help sell your home quickly.

Does home staging help sell a home?  The short answer ~ Yes!

  The trend of home staging has been paying off over the last several years.  Why?  Buyers want to imagine your home as theirs.  They want to envision their own furniture in the home and possible furniture layout to help them evaluate if your home might be a fit for them. 

Successful staging can make the difference between a property that moves off the market quickly or one that extends past your listing agreement and gets in another agent’s hands. While staging isn’t the only factor that sells a home, these staging “Do’s and Don’ts” could help or harm the sale of the home.

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Find out what's happening in Oakdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Spring Staging DO’s and DON’Ts:

 

1. DO NOT cover up any structural problems or areas that need repair.
DO encourage the seller to take care of these items as soon as possible.
If these issues remain “as is” for the sale, be open about it and don’t brush it under a colorful rug (pun intended). This is misleading and in many states this could be seen as fraud and misrepresentation.

2. DO NOT decorate to your own personal style.

DO stick with simple ideas. Look at magazines because you want each buyer to see that living room or kitchen with their personality.  If they are overwhelmed with the seller’s style, imagining themselves in the home will be a struggle. Stay simple, avoid eclectic furniture, faux finishes and minimize personal photos as well.

 

 

3. DO NOT forget about the unseen areas.
DO remember to stage closets, kitchen storage, pantries, even the garage if you can. Buyers want to see these areas to evaluate how they will put them to use and that cannot be done when they are stuffed with clutter. Stage these areas of storage as well. A fresh coat of paint goes a long way to freshen up storage areas.  Suggest removing items and placing them in storage bins that can be well organized in another area for the time the home is listed – such as the garage, basement or attic.  Be sure that storage area appears tidy and organized. 

4. DO NOT give the impression that some of the staging items convey with the property. For instance, you change the porch light to something more savvy or placed bamboo shades in a home that will be sold with bare windows.
DO tell the buyers what items do and do not convey with the home. This will avoid confusion at closing and serve as great conversation pieces as you interact with buyers during the property tour.

 

 

5. DO NOT let driveway cracks and oil spots remain.
DO attempt to fix these areas as they make the property look unpolished and could potentially be a safety hazard. An oil mark can really hold your attention regardless of the beauty of the home so be sure not to track dirt or oil through the home as it could also appear in property photos.

6.  Staging of your homes exterior counts.  Be sure to enhance the exterior of your home and yard to the best of your abilities when showing your home.  This is critical as curb appeal is the number one thing that draws people to your home.  Be sure to repair or update exterior lights, shutters (new or fresh paint),  doors may need to be painted or cleaned, kick plates may need to be replaced or added, attempt to clean the yard of trash and debris, lawn appearance counts also. 

7.  DO NOT FORGET the Garage.  Clean floors, organize storage areas so they are tidy and neat, maybe even consider a fresh coat of paint for the walls, Wash and clean windows and curtains if present in the garage area.  Clean service doors as well.

When the home appears clean and well cared for it will demand more attention from potential buyers and also sell more quickly.

Source: homes.com

More real estate questions:  Call or email Larry Eberhard

651-702-4000 or larry@larryeberhard.com

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