Successful Home Staging

Successful Home Staging

• Do the sniff test. If you have dogs, cats, hamsters, old carpeting, mildew problems or if you love to smoke or cook foods with a pungent odor — and you can smell it, chances are that buyers will too. Ventilate the home and invest in an air-cleaning and deodorizing machine or products to remove pet odors. Another option is a cleaning product with living enzymes that consume the odor-causing agents and remove the smell permanently. Call me for resources:734-669-0337.
  
• Pack up early. Pack up several large pieces of furniture and as much of the clutter in each room as possible, leaving wisely chosen accessories (candles, fresh flowers, crystal). Don’t just shift the stuff to another room or garage — rent a storage space and get it out of the house before showing.
  
• Stick with beige. Carpeting shouldn’t look like a Crayola box — in a shade of purple, brown, wild yellow, shocking blue, black or white — or be shaggy or patterned. If your carpet is loud, replace it with plain beige. Don’t assume that buyers will be able to look past the bad carpeting and just offer a credit off the purchase price. Most buyers will keep looking for a house with fresh carpeting. Call me for the best resource in Ann Arbor.
  
• Use the rule of three. Three items are pleasing to the eye. Whether it’s artwork, figurines on a shelf, a magazine stack, pillows, afghans, or candles, arrange them in threes for a pleasing display as accents in any room.
  
• Bedrooms should have beds. If you’re a bed short, use an inflatable mattress and some boxes to create a faux bed.
  
• Light and more light. Raise window blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. Put in maximum wattage bulbs.
  
• Modernize fixtures. Replace boring or tarnished light fixtures. Trade in old lampshades for new ones. Replace sink and tub fixtures with modern, shiny ones.
  
• Create life. Set the table, leave on the big-screen TV, play background music.
  

Vicki Larmee of Kathy Toth and Team has a knack for helping our sellers maximize the presentation of our homes. Call us for ideas. 734-669-0337.
Source: REALTOR®.org: Do-It-Yourself Staging is an Investment, Secrets of Successful Home Staging.