Last week you were promised some tips on staging your home. What
is staging? Well, it’s the art of making your house look like you
always wanted it to look the whole time you lived there even though
it never did!
Last week you were promised some tips on staging your home. What is staging? Well, it’s the art of making your house look like you always wanted it to look the whole time you lived there even though it never did!
Let’s face it, people don’t buy houses, they buy the dream of a particular lifestyle. You want a potential buyer to believe their life will be brighter and better if they buy your home. So if they saunter in and smell last night’s steamed salmon (or worse – deep fried Snickers!) and see laundry – clean and otherwise – piled on every flat surface and feel a draft coming through an unsealed window and discover their shoes stick to something living on the kitchen floor…well, it just isn’t going to happen.
As you approach the staging of each room, think about what you like best about the space, and what activities take place there. For instance, if you have a formal entry area, you might want to think about the fun you’ve had greeting guests or loved ones. Perhaps they brought you a small gift when they visited. You could place a small, brightly-wrapped gift on an entry table.
Some people like to set a complete formal table in their dining room, as if they are anticipating guests for dinner. (Whoa, doggies, I’d probably be counting the flatware every time someone came through!) Or you could just put a nice centerpiece on the table.
Do you have a big master bath? Oftentimes a romantic interlude is alluded to with the inclusion of some flowers, a bottle of champagne, and two glass flutes. It helps to hide the stuff like dental floss and anti-fungal foot powder and Preparation H. Kind of ruins the atmosphere, you know? In guest bathrooms fluffy, clean towels can be hung on the rack and tied with big ribbons. Of course, you wouldn’t dare USE one of those towels, but that isn’t the point, is it?
A sunny nook might be the perfect setting for a comfy, oversized chair with a throw blanket arranged over one arm. A book opened face down (not a hardback…you’ll ruin the spine!) with a pair of reading glasses perched nearby seems calming and peaceful.
The kitchen is a great place to stage. However, first lose the clutter. I know I sound like a broken record, but we all seem to have so much STUFF! Just think about it. If someone is trying to buy a bigger home, they’ll get discouraged seeing that even one as big as yours is a fright. And if someone is trying to downsize, they’ll despair of ever cramming all their stuff into this home because your stuff doesn’t fit. So keep the counters clear, except for a few carefully chosen items. Perhaps a few decorative bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a loaf of French bread. Or a decorative bowl brimming with fresh fruit. Maybe a chopping board with a hunk of cheese and some grapes. You get the idea. Think Martha Stewart without the insider stock tips.
This should be enough to get you started. Hey! Don’t wait to sell your home…do it now. You’ll like your current house better and might decide to stay after all. But if you do decide to move, make sure you choose a local professional Realtor to help you stage your home.
And be kind to your Realtor!
Nants Foley is a Broker Associate at Intero Real Estate Services. Contact her at 831.630.1300 or e-mail [email protected].
