When you h gh ight the features your home offers it becomes what a buyer wil love about your property You can achieve this through so id p ann ng based on proven stag ng princ ples We re about to show you how
What is home staging?
When you put your property on the market t becomes a product that’s for sale Luxury buyers are buy ng a l festy e Effect ve stag ng helps neutra ize the property s surround ngs so buyers can env sion the home as the r own as we l as play up a property s strengths and downplay any weaknesses
regards, Holly Martin
Martin
WHY STAGE?
Home stag ng wi help you sell your home faster
And at a h gher price *
Before you start
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Look at your property through a buyer s eyes
Dec de what’s appeal ng and what s d stracting
Your sa es assoc ate can he p you be more ob ect ve
• • Make the pos t ve aspects of each room stand out
Remove most persona possessions
Buyers don’t want to feel ke they’re ntruding
They want to v sua ze the space as if t were the r own
SETTING THE STAGE
Stag ng your home systematica ly a lows you to plan and prepare your property for sa e
We suggest going room by room and that you do not stage the entire house at once Fol ow these 14 steps and you ll be done before you know it
Assess
How is it used and can t be used for any other purpose?
Fix the l ttle things that make buyers wonder “What e se s wrong?” Before doing renovat ons check in with your sales associate
Take
What stands out about the room?
Pick a focal po nt and draw attent on to t
Do one room at a t me going from smal spaces to arger ones. Box up a non-essent als, including closet c utter
M n m ze furniture n d n ng rooms, bedrooms and ving rooms Whatever you remove can go into storage or n other rooms.
Straighten c osets and c ean nside kitchen and medic ne cabinets Assume buyers wi l ook in every nook and cranny
H ghl ght the foca point of each room
You may need to go back to tems you removed from one room to add to another
Use potted plants or a bowl of fruit A touch of nature a ways ivens up a home.
Generate new deas from magaz nes rea estate TV shows Instagram P nterest, YouTube as we l as from research ng homes for sa e, both physica ly and on ine
Remove personal col ect ons and most pictures
Make your property appea ng to the largest poo of buyers
Concentrate on detai s and rev s t your focal points If the foca point st l isn t c ear, rev s t steps 1 through 7
Concentrate on the rooms buyers value most n order of mportance they are: the l ving room, k tchen primary bedroom d ning room, bathroom, ch ldren s bedroom and guest bedroom
Get n the rout ne of preparing your home for a showing Fol ow our showtime strategy to help present your house at ts best
14. Ask
Your sales assoc ate can recommend storage fac it es and ass st w th d scounts on repa rs and supp es
FRESHEN UP YOUR HOUSE
To help the next owners env s on the r new ife n the r new home here are some easy tips
Paint
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Paint s a low-cost nvestment w th a h gh rate of return
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Paint an accent wall w th a bo der co or
Atmosphere Furniture Light Technology
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• • Keep the color palette neutral and subdued
Stage accent tems in groups of three that form a v sua tr ang e w th a high, med um and a ow eve
Create an nvit ng mood w th warm lighting and neutra colors
Make all outdoor areas inv ting and pr me for enterta n ng
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Arrange furn ture to emphas ze the room not the furniture
• Place bo d or dramatic furniture in storage Group furn ture away from wa ls to create ba ance
Keep h gh-end and durable furn ture
area rugs and upholstery to create a more re ax ng and nvit ng env ronment
Add tons of ight – preferab y natura l ght Place a read ng amp behind a cha r in the corner to create a cozy nook
• •
Place mirrors across from w ndows to add natura l ght and g ve the impress on of more space
• • E m nate dark, heavy drapery and rep ace w th mater als that et light fi ter through
• • • Insta l a smart thermostat
Add secur ty with a doorbe l camera Rep ace smoke detectors with smart smoke/CO detetectors
Secure front door with a smart ock
Swap out old l ghtbu bs with smart LED bulbs
CREATING CURB APPEAL
Make your property ook good from the outside n by focusing on these f ve key exterior areas Make sure to max m ze the l vab e parts of your outdoor space
Landscaping
Essentials
Prune bushes trees and shrubs n spring and summer
Mow and edge the lawn Seed, f needed
Weed and ma ntain f ower beds lawns and p anters
Distinctive Touch
Create a foca po nt in the yard Add a bench to areas that curve nward Add a tree water feature or decorat ve br ck to f ower beds.
Lay fresh mu ch in f ower and tree beds
Add lighting on wa kways sh ne ights on trees keep l ghts in work ng condit on and remove cobwebs, d rt, etc
House exterior Essentials
C ear roof and gutters of a debr s
nspect the pa nt or s d ng Touch up pa nt where needed and consider power washing
Front porch Essentials
Wash all w ndows and remove screens •
Distinctive Touch
Make sure the house number s v s b e
Check the ma lbox for ch ps and dents Rep ace f needed
Paint front door for a fresh accent
Keep your entryway and porch swept and clean
Put away al toys b kes scooters etc.
Po sh a l exter or meta Replace door hardware, f necessary.
Make sure doorbe and exterior ghts are work ng properly
Distinctive Touch
Create an nvit ng focal point n your entryway by adding a chair or bench
Use large p anters f l ed with f owers or evergreens to we come visitors
Get a new welcome mat that matches the style of the house.
Rear deck / Outdoor spaces
Essentials
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C ean or power wash concrete steps, pat os, s d ng and decks
C ean and repaint wood and w cker furn ture
C ean or replace cush ons
C ean and r nse umbre las E iminate m ldew
Distinctive Touch
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Create a separate and invit ng outdoor d n ng and enterta nment space
Create a warm env ronment with an outdoor sofa and accent cushions arranged sim lar to indoor liv ng rooms
Add sealer to decks to make them look almost new
Keep open e ectron cal y control ed glass doors or screens that fold, sl de or drop down to show how indoor and outdoor spaces f ow together
Driveway
Essentials
Remove visib e o l stains
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Seal dr veway for a fresh look
Distinctive Touch
• • F x pavement/driveway cracks
Keep cars off the dr veway and away from the front of the house
Keep garage doors down dur ng Open Houses or when the house s shown
Power wash garage doors and clean windows
STAGING ROOM BY ROOM
Take the fo low ng steps to g ve each room in your home the greatest appeal possible Focus on one area at a time mov ng through the house and exper enc ng t as a potent al buyer wou d
Foyer Essentials
Dining room Essentials
Living room / Family room Essentials
• • • • • • Repaint if necessary
C ean nter or entry of al clutter
C ear and c ean out front hal closet.
Distinctive Touch
Add a arge throw rug to a foyer with hardwood or ti e floors
Upgrade f ooring if needed
Add a tab e or bench w th a place for keys Add a vase of fresh flowers
C ean ght fixtures
• • • • • • Repaint wa s if needed
C ean and refinish floor ng
Distinctive Touch
Remove tab ec oth and add fresh fru t as a decorative touch
Remove extra eaf from table to make the room appear arger
Keep four cha rs and put others n storage •
Repa nt or touch up wa ls and ce lings
C ean firep ace mante and she ving, and m n m ze knickknacks
Shampoo carpets and/or wax wood f oors
C ean upho stery and drapes and replace or cover worn furn ture
C ear off al coffee tables and end tab es to ust two or three books
Distinctive Touch
Make a window with a spectacu ar v ew or a f rep ace the foca po nt of the room
Rearrange furniture to showcase the room s best feature and create addit onal space
Use amps to create l ght n darker corners of the room
Bathroom Essentials
Kitchen Essentials
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C ean and pol sh everything ins de and out Make app iances faucets and fixtures spark e
C ean around t es and grout with b each
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Keep soaps, towe s sponges and c ean ng products under the sink and empty the garbage regularly
Remove magnets photos, etc from the front of your refr gerator
Create more counter space by stor ng app iances in the cab nets
• Repaint wa s Comb ne neutral co ors with sma l co or h ghl ghts for a warmer fee
Distinctive Touch
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• • Place an open cookbook next to fresh herbs
Turn the ghts on and open the curta ns Cons der add ng recessed ight ng around the per meter
H gh ght charging stations and places to use smartphones and tablets •
C ean t le and grout and re-grout f necessary.
Reduce to letr es to a few decorat ve pieces and m n m ze shower accessor es
C ean or replace shower curta n preferab y w th
a sol d co or
Remove to et seat covers and throw rugs
• Repaint wa s if needed Consider removing any wa lpaper
Distinctive Touch
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Keep to let d down at a l t mes
• Consider updating bathroom f xtures
Consider adding new, f uffy towels and coord nate them us ng two co ors at most They can suggest uxury for l ttle cost
Basement Essentials
Paint wal s, as needed
Be aware of smel s Use odor absorbers f necessary
Repair cracks n the ce ling or walls and c ear any drains
Organ ze storage items n b ns or boxes
Replace ight bu bs and/or add l ght ng, f needed
Distinctive Touch
Use a throw rug and couch to create a iv ng space
Add a craft tab e or workbench and too s
Make aundry area p easant and funct ona
Organ ze w th cab nets and shelv ng
Bedroom
Essentials
Distinctive Touch
Remove most personal mementos and c ear off bedside tab e except for a sma l amp and one book
Streamline closets by remov ng off- season clothes and organiz ng contents
Consolidate toys n chi dren’s rooms
• • • • Repaint wa s if necessary Use neutral colors
• • • Consider invest ng n new bedd ng
Make beds every day
Remove a l but essent al furn ture bed, n ghtstand and dresser
Garage interior Essentials
Distinctive Touch
Remove oi sta ns from the f oor C ean and rep ace light f xtures Organ ze too s on a pegboard.
Add a workbench
Group l ke- tems together on she ving un ts
Gym and Wellness Suites Essentials
wal s as needed n a neutra co or
C ean equ pment after each use
Be aware of sme s Use order absorbers, or ntroduce a fragrance ike candles or air fresheners f necessary
C ean and rep ace ight fixtures
Home Office
Arrange equ pment in a n ce way that creates an easy traff c flow
Add shelv ng to organize we ghts
Add an area rug or artwork to the walls to soften up the space
Touch
artwork and curta ns to make the
l more invit ng Bring in a plant and place near a w ndow
IT’S SHOWTIME!
The final preparat on s to have a strategy every time the property is be ng shown, so it a ways ooks its best
f you have any quest ons at any time dur ng your stag ng process don’t hesitate to ca l your sales assoc ate
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C ear the k tchen s nk
Brighten Share
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Clean Create
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information
D splay house and community information prom nently
Pick up all ch ldren s toys
C ose garage door
• Put away pet food bowls
Open shades and curtains
Turn on lights
atmosphere
Play soft music
Give the house a subtle, pleasant aroma with fresh cookies a it f rep ace fresh flowers, etc
Set the thermostat to a comfortab e temperature
• Cons der prov d ng pa d ut l ty bi ls and current property tax receipts
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Provide real estate l st ng sheet and f oor plan f ava ab e
Make a st of home upgrades and inc ude dates f ava ab e
Create a map and/or l st of community features and po nts of interest
