Important Staging Tasks That Are Not Decorating
You have probably heard by now that staging your home in today’s real estate market is crucial. Even though homes, especially here in Kansas City, are flying off the market, staging helps to increase traffic through your property, bringing in more offers for you to choose from, and ultimately driving up the sale price-at least that is the goal! More and more buyers are not actually looking for a specific square footage or number of bedrooms, but are looking for that feeling of “home” when they walk into a potential house. Part of my job as a listing agent is helping my clients prepare their homes for the market, and I find that when we can do most of the preparatory legwork before listing your home, the smoother the rest of the transaction seems to be.
Contrary to popular belief, though, staging is not just about the decorations in your home, although it IS part of the puzzle. If you have found yourself here because you are looking to list soon, but maybe don't feel like you are talented in the decorating arena, there are numerous things you can do to make your home appeal to more buyers.
Here are my top 5 recommendations:
Edit, edit, edit. One of the worst things you can do when you list your house is not editing your belongings. A cluttered house looks like it is short on storage space and is just not appealing to the eyes. You will not only want to edit out very personal decor and photos, but also items in closets, cabinets, and storage rooms. A good rule of thumb is to make all areas for storage half full to give the illusion of more storage space. Take some time to really go through things and store away items that won't be used for a few months, or donate items that haven't been used for awhile. Just think of it as less you will have to do when it comes time to move! Even if you need to box some things up and store the boxes in the basement or garage, it is still better than having cluttered storage areas.
Give your home a good, deep clean. Cleaning is essential when selling your home for obvious reasons…who wants to buy someone else's filth? If you don't enjoy cleaning or can't commit to a deep clean, now is the time to hire a professional cleaner. Just don't do it too far in advance of your listing, or you will have to do it again.
Boost your curb appeal. You only have one chance to make a good first impression…no pressure! Many buyers decide within a few seconds upon pulling up to your house how they are going to feel about it, and if you have bad curb appeal, it will be more difficult to win over buyers. Not only that, but a study from The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics states that curb appeal can “account for up to 7 percent of a home's value.” The more you can do to spruce up your landscaping and the front of your home, the better, but it doesn't have to be expensive. Doing some weeding, adding some flowers, and laying down some fresh mulch can go a long way. If your house needs painting, I recommend adding a fresh paint job, but if it isn't in the budget, you may want to be prepared for buyers to ask for a paint allowance at closing.
Make your home look “like-new.” Obviously, you live in your home and it is not brand new, but doing things like filling in holes, patching loose drywall tape, replacing broken tiles, removing unpleasant odors, steam cleaning carpet, tying up loose ends on DIY projects, etc. will make your home look well-maintained and polished.
Mentally prepare for your move. This is not as widely discussed as the other tips, but absolutely worth mentioning. When you are getting ready to sell, it is important to get into the mindset that this is no longer your home and it is someone else's. If it helps, remember that you have your own brand new (to you) home waiting on the other side of this sale. This helps to eliminate a lot of sentimental or potentially negative feelings throughout the entire transaction, making it more enjoyable and exciting for all parties involved.
I hope these were helpful, and if you are in the Kansas City area looking to list, I would love to set up a conversation about how I help my clients earn top dollar for their properties. Just reach out on the form below! Talk soon!