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You don’t get a second change to make a first impression on buyers, so it is always a good idea to make it a lasting one when selling your home. Consider your home a contestant in a beauty contest and set your goal to finish in the top three. Every seller wants their home to be the winner, but you have to groom it and get ready to show off your goods. Staging your home before you go on the market is what might set your home aside from the rest of your competition. You want to make sure you have everything in order before the pictures of your home are taken and before you listing goes live. Since most buyers today are viewing your home online first, you want to wow them with your new and improved home. Here are some steps you can take when staging your home to help put your house in the running for a buyer.

1. Less is more – remove enough so that there is some empty space in closets, on shelves, and in cabinets.
2. Remove or hide all small kitchen appliances and clutter on the countertops.
3. Remove all refrigerator art, pictures, magnets, calendars, etc.
4. Pack up all personal photos, people need to be able to themselves in your home.
5. Remove personal necessity items from bathroom and enclosed showers… shampoo, toothpaste, hairbrushes, dirty towels, etc. Put them in a basket that is easy to hide.
6. Remove and store seasonal clothes from closets, this is a good time to donate any of your old clothes and shoes to good will.
7. Rent a storage space if possible. Remove all visible storage boxes from closets, basement and garage.
8. Remove some furniture to open up the rooms. A good rule of thumb, consider eliminating half of all furniture and accessories.
9. Remove dated or worn furnishings and accessories. Display only updated new looking items, new couch and chairs covers may come in handy, even a decorative pillow.
10. Remember the rule, “One will do”. When accessorizing surfaces, remember that for staging purposes one item is better than two or more. One vase or clock on a fireplace mantle shows off your home better that two or three items.
11. Use mirrors generously. A mirror at the end of a long hallway makes the home look larger and relieves any cramped feeling. A mirror opposite the bathroom vanity pushes walls back and makes small bathrooms larger.
12. Paint the interior of the house and the front door. A fresh coat of paint makes a room look new.
13. Repair, paint, or wash all exterior walls, doors, and trim.
14. Power-wash exterior concrete and other outdoor areas. Remember this will be the first thing buyers will see.
15. Replace worn, stained carpeting and cracked floor tiles. Be sure that any remaining carpet, drapery or upholstery holds absolutely no odors.
16. Wash the windows, inside and out. Remove unnecessary screening.
17. Arrange a minimum number of towels in bathroom racks and put out fresh soap.
18. Inside, use fresh flowers in vases. Decorate outside with planters and potted plants.
19. Decorate the patio or deck with flowerpots and enough furniture to show that it is usable living space.
20. Furnish covered porches with small outdoor tables and chairs to turn them into obvious living spaces.
21. Make sure the landscaping is well kept and the grass is maintained. T
22. Air the home by opening windows and doors and try not to cook before showing. No one wants to smell what you ate for lunch or last night for dinner.
23. No drips! Repair all plumbing, faucets, running toilets. You will have to repair these items after a home inspection, if you can fix them first you are better off.
24. Clean or repair/replace worn caulking around tubs, sinks, counter tops.
25. Deep-clean entire house, oven, fireplace, garage, etc.
26. Enhance fireplace firebox with candles or decorative logs.

I know the list is long here and as a seller you may not get around to everything, but this gives you a good starting point of what buyers are going to expect to see when they are looking for a new home. Although your home is not new for you, take into consideration that this will be a new home for the buyer. If the work is too much for you to do yourself, or you just can’t figure out where to start, I can refer you to a great home stager who will meet with you and give you suggestions on staging your home.

Thank You and Have a Great Day

Marina Jacobson
Broker, SFRDirect: 847-510-5009
Cell: 847-361-5605
Fax: 847-510-5109
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