How To Stage A House

You’ll only have one opportunity to make a good impression, so make it count. By following the general guidelines below, you’ll enhance the attractiveness of your home and reduce the time it takes to generate serious offers and really learn how to stage a house.

First Impressions:
How your property appears from the outside is important. To make a good first impression on a buyer, a clean driveway, a freshly mown lawn or a trimmed hedge will work wonders. For condominiums, be sure the exterior lighting is clean and the bulbs are in working order. Do a critical inspection of the exterior of your home, paying special attention to the condition of the windows, shutters, screens and gutters. If your property looks like it needs painting, many buyers will form an unfavorable impression. Elsewhere, little things count. Make sure the front door is spotless, including the door handles and be sure to have the windows shine brightly.

Cleanliness Counts:
Once inside, one of the key factors that influence your homes appeal to a buyer is the cleanliness. Most important is the front hallway / foyer, the kitchen and the bathrooms. Do a room by room cleaning and don’t forget any out of sight areas because that’s often where a discriminating buyer will look first. The state of the carpets can also be a determining factor. Consider having your carpets cleaned and if they are worn, it’s wise to replace them, or remove them if there is flooring underneath.

Less is more:
Clutter makes a poor impression. In closets, cabinets, kitchen countertops and other storage areas like garages or lockers, remove anything not needed for daily housekeeping. To make each room in your property look larger, get rid of or donate unnecessary furniture. Walk through your property and think: “Less is more.”

Repairs:
Make sure everything is in good working order. Dripping faucets, torn screens and loose doorknobs can easily create a bad impression and reduce the value of your property. A few hours spent on repairs, whether by you or a tradesman can pay big dividends when an offer is made or the inspection results are being reviewed.

Little things count:
It’s easy to improve the appearance of any room. You may want to replace or remove worn rugs or small pillows, put new towels in the bathroom or brighten the room with flowers

Pull together:
Get all the members of your household to pull together when it comes to getting – and keeping – your property ready to view. By getting everyone into the habit of spending a few minutes tidying up every morning for an afternoon showing, you’ll improve your changes considerably.

What it takes to show

Scheduling the showing:
Coordination is the key, before a Realtor from our office or a cooperating office shows or previews your property, you will be contacted to confirm the appointment. You will be notified of the timing, and, if it’s acceptable the appointment will be confirmed.

Timing:
Ordinarily, you should be getting a few hours notice about an appointment request. Some buyers however, may ask to see your property as soon as possible. In such cases, a showing could take place within an hour or less. It’s up to you to be prepared, the more interested buyers viewing your home, the more opportunities you’ll have to review an offer to purchase. If a buyer requests a change to the timing of a scheduled showing, you’ll be given as much notice as possible.

Special Instructions:
Any special instructions you may have given, such as information on pets, parking or security will be thoroughly explained to the Realtor who has requested the showing.

The Showing:
If you’re not home during a showing, the Realtor will use our lock box to enter. If you are home, Realtors will introduce themselves and hand you their business card. At that time, it’s best for you to excuse yourself and go for a walk around the neighborhood or read a book in the club house / social room as the fewer people at home during a showing the better. It’s also a good rule to let the buyer roam freely and discuss the property with their Realtor without interruption. A properly briefed sales associate will know the buyer’s needs and will be able to point out the specific features that meet their requirements.

Contact Information:
If you’re heading out of town, either on vacation or to another home, be sure to provide us with all your contact information, so we may notify you immediately of an update on the property or an incoming offer.

Realtors Previewing Your Home:
Occasionally, Realtors may schedule an appointment to preview your property without a buyer. By familiarizing themselves with the active market place, they will be in an excellent position to alert a buyer to a property that fits the bill. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to encourage Realtor Previews.