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Staging Tips From the Pros
Set the Stage for Spring Spring is just around the corner, which means now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to make your clients’ homes look their best for potential buyers. Good staging can make a world of difference—and the pros are here to help.
If you’re a little short on time, says Vivian Gilbert, Principal at Home Staging by Vivian, do your best to create as much space as possible without emptying the room entirely. “If there are extra side tables with knick-knacks or chairs, you’ll want to remove those,” she says. “But leave something to give buyers a sense of how big the room is.” “Most buyers don’t have a visual concept of size,” she says, so giving them some cues with a few furniture pieces will help them envision the layout. Monica Murphy, Owner of Preferred Staging, agrees. “The first step in decluttering is to remove any furniture items that really aren’t needed in a space, especially small items like extra accent chairs or small accent tables. If these items cannot be purposefully used in another area of the house, then they need to be stored away,” she says. “The next decluttering step is to address surface areas in the house,” Monica says. “Start by removing those items that are personal, political, or religious. The last two on that list are self-explanatory, but the first can sometimes throw people off. ‘Personal items’ basically refers to anything with your name on it like diplomas, awards, and family pictures, or items that are of a very unique or personal nature.” “The goal is for the buyer to envision their family already living in the house, not for them to get to know the family who already lives there.”
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16 CAPITAL AREA REALTOR ® — Spring 2020 Monica continues, “This is also the time to pack up your treasures, which I define as those things that are of high sentimental or financial value to the homeowner. That collection of beer steins in the basement or figurines in the living room are also things that should be either pared down or packed up completely.” Vivian notes, however, that doesn’t mean you should take all art off the walls. “Bare walls can seem sterile and give buyers the impression no one lives there,” she says. Plus, you can use dominant colors in art to create “flow” through color—a blue painting in the dining room can echo a blue pillow in the living room, blue glassware in the kitchen, and blue decorative soap in the bathroom. She also advises making sure the pathways through each room are clear. “You don’t want to put the back of a sofa facing the entrance,” she says. Monica agrees, adding that showcasing the back of furniture in a listing photo “acts as a visual stop sign and doesn’t allow people to see the entire room.” “If you have a bit more time, then you can go a bit further with the decluttering and not just focus on those areas that will make the best first impressions. You can start to take into account how people are going to move through and live in the space and the lifestyle that is being sold. You can also start to address some bigger projects, like a fresh coat of paint.” “Keep in mind that now is really not the time to start major renovation projects, but sometimes there are things that need to be updated,” Monica continues. “I see this often in bathrooms that have old and sometimes rusted light fixtures; an on-trend light fixture can breathe some new life into the space and replacing it is not an expensive or time-consuming project.” More time will also allow for things like the purchase of a few small items that will help the house to sell: “Whenever we’re working with an occupied
VIVIAN GILBERT
MONICA MURPHY
listing, we always work with what the homeowner already has; however, we often find that sometimes a new comforter set for the master bedroom, a set of new towels, or two new lamps for the living room can really freshen up these rooms, and the items’ purchases can be used in the homeowners’ next house, so they’re really an investment in getting the current house sold.” Storage is important too, Monica says: Don’t just move the clutter behind a closed door! “Once surface items are pared down, then it’s time to go through the storage spaces of the house— closets, cupboards, vanities, pantry and bookshelves—and make sure each of these areas is only two-thirds full, which leaves just enough open or empty space to show that these areas aren’t overstuffed.” “We don’t want a prospective buyer to open a closet and think, ‘If there’s no room for their stuff, there won’t be any room for my stuff,’ and then cross the house off their list for not having enough space,” she continues. But don’t declutter too much. That’s one of the most common mistakes, say the experts. “Everyone thinks they have to clear out everything!” says Vivian. “You want a few accessories, but not too many.” “I’ve had clients who have decluttered to the point of virtually emptying their house—they removed all tabletop and countertop items, all art, and even gave away some of the older furniture they weren’t going to take with them to their new home,” says Monica. “The problem in this situation is that they basically removed everything that gave their house its charm and warm, welcoming feeling.” “We don’t want to empty a house, but we do want to show there’s space in the house with room to grow,” she says. The next thing to focus on, Monica says, is a deep cleaning, with extra attention paid to the bathroom and kitchens. “Replace items that can make a big impact on listing photos and in-person visits, such as shower curtains (plain white always works), old bath towels (again, white or cream is best), well-worn comforter sets and bed pillows, and throw pillows that no longer hold their shape,” she suggests. Both Monica and Vivian emphasize the importance of an abundance of light, either natural or with the highest wattage possible in light fixtures. “Buyers feel better if there is more light,” Vivian says. “But stay away from fluorescent bulbs.” And don’t forget curb appeal! “Honestly, what’s important is what a buyer sees when they first pull up to the house and when they first walk in,” Vivian says. “It might not even be conscious, but it contributes to that gut feeling of how they feel about the house.” Monica and Vivian advise teaming up with a stager who can help maximize the benefit of the staging process for your clients’ individual homes. “A consultation is a very cost-effective way of making the home look its best,” says Vivian. “A stager will go through and see how it all fits together.” “Anytime someone with less experience can team up with someone who is willing to show them the ropes is always a good thing. Ultimately, though, the best person to work with is a professional stager,” says Monica. At the end of the day, don’t wait, say the stagers. “The sooner you start, the better the results. Getting a house ready for the market takes a lot of effort, and a lot of sellers may not know where to start or feel overwhelmed with all that needs to be done to present their house in the best possible manner to appeal to the most people,” says Monica. “It’s best to come up with a plan of action with a priority list, and make sure the homeowner is on board.” “Living in a staged home can be a bit inconvenient, but the payoff in the end is worth it,” she says.
