“Staged homes sell 50% faster than unstaged homes and sell for 7% more” says Tammy Cunningham of Kelowna’s Center Stage Interiors.
From Okanagan Home Magazine April/May 2009 – Staging for a Sale
By making a home seem bigger, brighter, cleaner, and tasteful – it touches on buyer’s emotions and makes them feel like they can move right in. It is important to look at your house through the buyers eyes as thought you’ve never seen it or been there before.
Staging a home can be a huge asset in selling a home quicker and closer to the asking price. Make sure you check both inside and outside though!
Inside:
1. Professionally clean the house. Kitchens & bathrooms, inside cupboards & drawers, bathroom fixtures appliances and floors should be spotless.
2. Neutralize the decor in the house by painting rooms a cream/beige colour. The house needs to appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers.
3. Make the house as light and bright as possible by opening the blinds, turning on all the lights, and cleaning all windows inside and out.
4. Furnish key rooms. Empty houses are hard to sell as potential buyers have very little imagination on how their furniture can be set up to effectively use the space.
5. Pre-pack and store all extra clothing, books, toys, and other household items that you and your family will not need in the short term.
6. Put clean, fresh linens on all the beds when showing the house.
7. Have fresh flower arrangements throughout the house in key places such as the kitchen and front entrance.
8. Clear off and put away everything from the kitchen counter, and the top and front of the fridge and stove. Make sure there are no dishes in the sink and that the sink and taps shine.
9. Put out fresh towels and decorative candles in the bathrooms.
10. Remove all personal and religious items when showing the house. Potential buyers need to imagine the house as their own and emotionally move in regardless of their background.
Outside:
1. Curb appeal is critical to ensure potential buyers look at the rest of the house.
2. Trim overgrown trees, weed gardens, keep the grass cut, and put mulch in the garden beds. In the winter, make sure the snow is cleared from driveways and walkways.
3. Make sure outside of the house is in good condition with the front door and garage door freshly painted to entice buyers to explore the property further.
