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FIRST IMPRESSION – YARD AND CURB APPEAL
Unless the buyers arrive blind-folded, the first thing they will see is your yard and the front exterior of your house. • Keep the yard nicely manicured- grass cut, shrubs shaped and clipped. • Trim trees branches away that might be obstructing the view of your home. • Remove yard ornamentation and let plants make a statement instead. • Paint the front door – any color will work as long as it matches the trim. • Put out a new welcome mat – something neutral like "WELCOME." Nothing with |
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the family name or personal statements. | |
• If exterior paint needs touching up- this is the time to do it.
• Wash windows and spray window screens down to remove dust and debris. |
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• Float furniture away from the walls if possible- and where possible. Showing a walk- | |
way around furniture pieces creates the look of more space -while showing a defined area in the room for seating. | |
• Remove extra pieces of furniture that are taking up space. Your Realtor can help you | |
determine which pieces to keep and which ones to remove. | |
• Remove ALL collectibles, personal photos, and nick-nacks. Pack them away -you are | |
moving anyway so this task will already be done. Buyers are looking for NEAT- CLEAN- UNCLUTTERED. It may pain you to do without your things for a few weeks- but it WILL make for a better showing and buyers will spend MORE time in your home looking. | |
• NO LACE, NO RUFFLES, if you decorate in this style- pack these items away and use | |
them in your new house. | |
• Dust furniture, blinds and ceiling fans. | |
• Wall color…neutral – but not white. Fresh paint in any room is a great way to bring | |
"newness" to the look. | |
• Clean floors – shampoo carpets. | |
• If you use air fresheners- keep the scent light and clean. Strong florals are a turn off | |
for most buyers. |
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• Keep this room in pristine condition…meaning CLEAN. You never know when I a buyer | |
may show up – and this room takes the longest to clean at the last minute. | |
• Remove clutter and decor from the tops of wall cabinets.
• Remove ALL items from the outside of the refrigerator. All magnets, kids art, |
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notes . . .etc . . . take them down. | |
• Keep sponges, rags, towels etc… under the sink- not on or in the sink.
• Allow as much light as possible in this area. • If you have additional storage pieces in your kitchen that do not convey with the house |
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pack stored items away- and remove the storage piece. Keeping it for buyers to see only says "this house does not have enough storage space." | |
• Brighten up wood cabinetry with "Liquid Gold" or a fresh coat of paint.
• If your cabinetry is dated- and you aren’t replacing it for the sale- add a new updated |
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set of hardware for a more modern look. | |
• No rugs – and keep the floor in IMMACULATELY CLEAN condition.
• Go easy on the wall decor in the kitchen – too much just creates a cluttered look. |
BATHROOMS
Bathrooms are very important spaces that buyers are paying particular attention to when shopping. Space and convenience are big players when it comes to bathrooms. • Since bathrooms are the smallest rooms in the house…illusion often times creates the |
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look of more space. Use neutral colors for walls and accessories. The lighter the color- the bigger the room will appear. | |
• Display towels in a basket
• Remove ALL items from the counter top. Store your personal items under the sink or |
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in drawers. | |
• Shower curtains should be a solid color and remain pulled closed.
• This should go without saying- but keep the toilet CLEAN and the lid closed at all times. • Use high wattage light bulbs for maximum lighting • Use hampers with lids – or store dirty laundry elsewhere where it can not be seen. • Scrub tiles and grout for a new fresh look. • Most important- keep it neat. |
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• Use solid color comforters and pillow shams OR simply use a solid crisp sheet tucked | |
under the mattress and solid/matching pillow cases. | |
• Clear nick-nacks and personal photos from dressers and nightstands.
• Pull back drapes and/or open blinds to allow light into the room- this creates the look |
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of more space. | |
• Keep floor space clear of clutter – to show walk space and flow through room. |
MISCELLANEOUS
As you can probably tell by now – the theme in staging your home is SIMPLIFY! If you need some inspiration – visit a few model homes in your area that have been staged by professionals. These homes will give you and idea of what buyers are attracted to- and then you can apply these ideas in your own home. Ask your Realtor for advice or consult with a designer for more ideas. And remember- the advice isn’t to insult you – it is to HELP you make MORE MONEY on the sale of your home- and faster!! I have been a seller myself- and yes it is a pain to keep your home in pristine showing condition at all times- but it is a MUST when you make the commitment to put your home on the market. Everyone in the household can pitch in and help a little everyday. I can’t tell you how many times I have walked into a cluttered -messy- over furnished home with my own buyers- and in 10 seconds they are ready to leave- and DO leave. Even when I knew what the house "could" be because I was familiar with the floorplan- the buyers weren’t as open minded. Unless your house is the ONLY house on the market- you must make yours the BEST house on the market. All of the other "for sale" homes are your competition…if yours is the best- it will show and sell as such. I hope these tips and suggestions help you with staging your home for sale. If you decide to employ me as your Realtor in the Fort Hood area – my staging advice for your home is complementary! I will walk through each room of your home and together we will make a list of things to do that will make your home SHINE on the market!! Please let me know how I can assist you with your home for sale in the Killeen Texas market. Sincerely, |
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