Staging your home for a viewing, whether a physical in house showing or the photographs for your web site, is a crucial step in the selling process.
When we get our home ready for sale we always take a critical look at our home and then clean it inside and out until it is spotless. When I say spotless, I mean that no matter what room or cupboard is opened the prospective buyer meets with organized living - no mess. The last thing you want to put into the buyers head is disorder or mess. Remember the buying decision is made on an emotional level, in additional to meeting with their living requirements.
The first thing people notice when they arrive is the curb appeal of your home. When selling during early spring or late fall we always buy flowers to put in pots, create raised beds and plantings around the house. We plant in clumps of three to five to get the most impact. You can always get pansies or bulbs in the spring and mums or asters in the fall (for those of us you live with winter). For interior plants to add colour we often buy bromeliads (they last 3 months at least, usually 6) or azaleas (usually get 3 - 5 weeks), although they are more expensive initially their longevity makes them a good buy.
People are looking for a comfortable environment in which to live. In our homes we have always maintained a feeling of spaciousness and airiness. It should be easy to move around the rooms and if necessary you may have to remove bulky or excess furniture to achieve this.
When showing our home during the day we open all the drapes (at night we close them all) and also turn on all the lights. We air out the house for at least an hour on the day we are doing the showing (even in winter). Additionally we do not cook anything the night before or the day of the showing. You want to ensure your home has a clean scent without a perfumed effect. Some people recommend baking bread or cookies to get the right aroma. Occasionally my husband will lie that we have a showing just so I bake cookies but I have since wisened up to his tricks.
We also put away any photos, books or other items that people may have differing opinions about. We make sure that family photos are not overdone and all rooms look as though they have been freshly painted.
We have a free FSBO guide that goes into greater detail regarding staging your home, and free or inexpensive makeovers that can add thousands of dollars to your selling price.
