Stains

If you are trying to sell an empty home, you may have found this to be a blessing and a curse.

An empty home is easy to show. Buyers might like that fact that they can move right in. Potential buyers might even have an easier time seeing themselves in the home.

On the other hand, an empty home may feel cold and impersonal. Buyers are looking for a home that they can fall in love with. Even if your home is the nicest home that they buyers look at, if they don’t “feel the love”; they will probably buy someone else’s home.

How I got started staging homes

I started staging homes several years ago. I had gotten my real estate sales license during a dreadful buyers market. The market was so bad that most well priced homes were taking six to twelve months to sell.

I started staging my new empty home listings after selling a home that had been staged by the owners. It was the owners second home and the decorations were perfect. This home sold and closed in six weeks! Not only that, but I had other buyers in the wings ready to buy, if the first buyers failed to close. I realized I was on to something.

I bought and studied a book called “Dress Your House for Success” by Martha Web. Her book helped me to figure out how to repeat the “six week home sale”, over and over again. The fast sales made my clients happy! The fast commissions made me happy!

I bought staging items which cost me about $300. Then I staged and empty home that I had listed for sale. Shazam! The home sold in six weeks despite the buyers market.

Home staging doesn’t always work as expected, but if the home is priced right and has enough showings, six weeks is my average time to sell an empty, staged home.

How you can easily stage an empty home so that it sells quickly

First of all, I make sure the home is sparkling clean. You want everything to look as close to new as possible. All chrome must shine. All stains, from every surface, must be removed. Windows, the window screens and window sills should sparkle. Touch up paint or repaint as needed. The flooring, including tile and carpet, must look and smell clean. Dust and cobwebs must go! Clean like you’ve never cleaned before!

An empty house can be staged without moving any furniture into the home. To stage my listings, I only have to move in four plastic boxes of light-weight decorative items plus several silk or plastic plants.

What I am trying to do is to create a “model home” look, but without the furniture. If you’re not sure what I mean, visit a few model homes. Model homes are a wonderful and quick education in staging. Ignore the furniture in the model homes, and instead concentrate on the decorations. Take a camera with you, to take pictures, if you want.

The following is a room by room description of the items I use to stage a home. You can decide where each item should be placed, and how many to use. Don’t over do it, but “stark” is not a good look either. All staging items must be new or look new. No exceptions! Make sure the silk plants are cleaned regularly.

Staging the front door:

• Place a brand new, fun door mat in front of the door. I buy a new one for each home I stage.

• If the door has a hook to hang seasonal items on, do so when appropriate.

• The front door area has to look neat and clean. Sweep the steps and side walk and wipe down the door if needed. Make sure the front door light and doorknobs shine. First impressions count.

Kitchen staging items:

• Place exciting and interesting kitchen towels and oven mitts that match the towels on the kitchen counter.

• I place veggie / oil filled decorative glass jars, grouped together on the counter.

• Silk plants and silk plants in baskets: one for the top of the fridge, more for on top of the cabinets, and if appropriate, one for the counter top.

• Decorative (empty) soap and hand cream dispensers.

• I have put together a gift basket (for decoration only) which I put on the kitchen counter. It includes all sorts of fun kitchen items, towels and knick knacks. I do this to add emotional appeal to the kitchen and home.

• Other interesting items to suit your tastes.

• I also replace any burned out light bulbs.

Bathroom staging items:

• Big, soft, fluffy new towels, large and small, tied up with raffia or decorative cords.

• Decorative soaps

• Matching soap dishes, toothbrush holders, cups etc. Buy some that are fun for the guest baths, and buy some classy, romantic ones for the master bathroom!

• Lots of candles and candle holders. Don’t be cheap on these. Get the nicest you can buy.

• More silk plants

• If you feel it will help, buy and use a new rod and shower curtain. I have done this before. You will know when and where to use these.

• I replace all burned out light bulbs. If the bulbs wattages are too low, I will replace them with brighter lights.

Items for the living room, the family room and bedrooms:

• Large and small silk plants placed to enhance nice areas or placed take the eyes of the buyer away from areas that you don’t want the buyers to concentrate on.

• More silk plants for any plant shelves.

• When ever possible I use classy wall art: framed pictures and posters, etc.

• I have also used rocking chairs, wooden rocking horses (kid’s room), pottery, and vases filled with dried plants.

• I have rented live plants for larger homes. Ten large, beautiful plants cost me $150/month. The plant company took care of the plants. This was well worth the cost. I can highly recommend this for adding to the emotional appeal of a large, empty home.

• Make certain that the curtains or window coverings are open and the windows are clean. I want the home to be bright and inviting. This helps to create a positive feeling to the home. In addition, the “drive the neighborhood” homebuyers can see in and decide if they want to get into the home! Every potential buyer counts.

The items mentioned are just a starting point for staging. I am continually adding more items and getting rid of items which have “aged”. So far over the years I have spent about $1,000 on staging items and now have enough items to stage two homes. I have made my investment back many, many times over.

I can highly recommend staging to both homeowners and real estate agents. Your home or home listings will sell faster and for more money.

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