New Year, New You.

Is it the year to put your home on the market? If so, there are a number of things to consider--and home staging is one thing that will make a difference in the time a home spends on the market and the price for which is sells. Believe it or nor, home buying is a very psychological/emotional decision for some, so creating a home that appeals to a broad range of buyers is key.

Up until it is time to sell, your home is your personal haven, but when it comes time to sell, you must present it as a marketable product to appeal to a broad range of buyers.

For this reason, the mantra, “less is more” is very important. Keeping this in mind, will help your home show well in online photos, which is the first place many buyers will begin home searching and ultimately make a split-second decision whether or not to tour in person. That is why staging is SO important.

We live in a 3-second, HGTV culture, and buyers must be attracted to visit YOUR home in the midst of many others in your market area. How will you stand out?

First, you will want to create the dream. Many buyers simply cannot envision your property as their own. You must help them do so by depersonalizing and following the steps below.

These small steps create a big impact, in personal showings and in photos:

Squeaky, sparkling clean will tell buyers a lot about how you maintain your home
Clear out any clutter or loose paperwork etc
Pack up your collections (knick knacks, ball caps, figurines, etc.) No, really, you are going to move them anyway and while they are special to you, not everyone will feel the same.
Organize the closet items by type, size and color, on matching hangers, if possible. (see a future post of this later)
Place white towels, folded in thirds, in all bathrooms
Add white silk orchids to all cleared bathroom counter tops
Remove all items from the floors of your bathrooms, seriously, 100% clear — you are not selling your waste bin, weight scale, magazine holder etc. Let them see your floors.
Clear all shelves of any personal photography or accolades, place only a few large items, being sure to leave negative space -- this will look so nice in photos
Add a vignette or two to your kitchen countertops: teacups/box of tea, bowl of lemons, board with happy hour set up etc.
A low vase of white hydrangeas will lighten any dark space
White bedding, white bedding, white bedding — think high quality hotel - who doesn’t love that?
Add a touch of color with throw pillows and a throw
Be sure all landscaping has been neatly trimmed and black mulch has been applied to beds
Power wash outdoors where needed, and remove all yard art, and old door mats
Update the walls by painting a light neutral color to create the feeling of a lighter and larger space - Sherwin Williams Shoji White SW7042 is a nice choice.

Using these staging strategies will help buyers overlook less desirable attributes in your home by focusing on the positive aspects.