North Dallas 'Burbs Real Estate Talk

Effectively staging a home for sale involves not only an eye for design, balance, scale, & color, but also an understanding of Buyer psychology.

Some sellers believe a simple clean up, making repairs, and removing family photos is all there is to it. It’s a great start, but usually requires much more. Some sellers have a case of stage-fright; they don’t have any “design DNA” so they just hope nobody notices. Or the worst case is sellers who think, “If a buyer doesn’t like it, they can (repaint, remove, remodel).” Wrong! Because they can’t see past the deer heads, orange bedroom, and ancient appliances! So unless this type of seller wants to take way less than market value, it’s time to get real.

**Staging is one crucial aspect to getting to the closing table. Correct pricing and strategic marketing are the other two.** So assuming you have done any needed repairs, have cleaned the heck out of the place, and plan on teaming up with a good agent here is how to…

CONVERT A SHOPPER INTO YOUR BUYER;

 1) Prepare your property first by using a “fresh eye” to do an assessment. In other words, erase any emotional or monetary attachment you have your “stuff”. (I know, easier said than done, but try!)

2) Pre-pack all, yes all, personal mementos, collections, photos, extra books, toys, clothing, etc…) Create 4 boxes marked STORE, SELL, DONATE, TRASH

3) Third, ensure your wall colors are pleasing to the eye–nothing jarring or too taste specific. In most cases, wallpaper or wallpaper borders should be removed.

4) Fourth, take a good look at furniture placement and condition. Any items that have seen better days should be donated or sold. Proper placement of furniture should create conversation areas, traffic flow, and a homey feel. Here is where scale &  balance come in. If it feels “off” it probably is. Make sure each room feels anchored too. Sometimes a room filled with only light colors and nothing to weigh it down, feels uncomfortable. A contrasting rug is a great fix.

5) Assess the accessories you have decided to keep. Use them to help create texture, balance, color, and proper scale. Do not overdo it…less it more. If you need to purchase new items, a few great places for home accessories in the Frisco area include Hobby Lobby &  Kirklands.

6) Open every closet, pantry, cabinet and storage area. They should all be neatly pared down to the essentials. An overflowing pantry or food items in another part of the house signals to the buyer that there is not enough kitchen storage. Pantry items should have can labels facing forward and neatly arranged, opened bags tightly secured, boxes placed book style along shelves. Bins to hold the essentials should be used wherever possible. If you have open shelving that cannot be kept perfectly neat-like in a child’s room-consider buying a few yards of inexpensive fabric and Velcro to create a “curtain”.

7) Bathrooms should be completed edited to the point where there are no visible personal items, shampoo bottles, razors, etc. Pretty soap dispensers, candles, nice towels, and a few other carefully selected items are the only things that should make an appearance. Use a simple shower caddy to transport your items from shower to under a cabinet during showings. Nothing tuns off a buyer like seeing personal toiletries. It reminds them that someone lives there. And remember we are trying to create the illusion that nobody does! Or that the person that does, actually cares about his/her presentation to a potential buyer. I cannot emphasis enough how important this point is. When you have gone out of your way to impress a buyer with the showing condition of your home, the buyer most definitely sits up and takes notice. 

If you were buying a pre-owned car, would you purchase from an owner that presented it with candy bar wrappers and dog hair on the seats? You wouldn’t? Why? Afterall, the wrappers can be thrown away and the dog hairs vacuumed up, right? Nope, you aren’t going to buy it because not only are you insulted, but if this car owner didn’t care enough to clean & detail the car for you, he probably didn’t take perform scheduled maintenance either!

 8) Bedrooms must project tranquility. Often times, this is  a space that needs the most depersonalization. Bedding should be very neat & clean. Again, think “tranquility” when editing bedrooms.

9) Remove pet beds, bowls, etc… during showings. If you must leave out bowls, make sure they are clean & out-of-the-way. Cat boxes should never, never, never be visable…a  major buyer turnoff.

10) It almost goes without saying since it is a no-brainer, but patios/yards should convey a pleasant, inviting space to entertain and relax. (No pet deposits please!) Porches should be welcoming and clean. Landscaping must be well maintained. Remember, engagement begins curbside!

If you prefer to have a professional staging service handle the details for you, we can provide a 2-hour consultation for $125. This will include a personalized assessment & custom, written report with specific suggestions for your property. If you decide to hire us for the actual staging, this fee will be credited to the final cost. Call (972) 898-4832 for details! The combination of our staging & real estate expertise create an effective solution to get your property sold in the least amount of time for the most amount of money!