Staging a Home

Staging your Raleigh home is normally one of the most important things a Seller can do to get top dollar for the home, because a well staged home will keep people lingering in the house longer – often imagining themselves living there. But often times, we find that clients are hesitant to take a critical eye to their home.

We tell clients that as they are selling their home, it’s important to change their words around… Say to yourself, “This is not my home; it is a house — a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.” It’s a HOME when you buy it, it’s an INVESTMENT (a house) when you sell it.  So look around with that fresh approach, and imagine yourself handing over the keys and envelopes with warranties to the new owner.  Now think about how good it’s going to feel to be in your new home… and you are ready to De-Personalize and De-Clutter for the next family who we want to pay TOP DOLLAR for this house!

Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can’t see past personal artifacts, and you don’t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can’t do that if yours are there! You don’t want to make any buyer ask, “I wonder what kind of people live in this home?” You want buyers to say, “I can see myself living here.”

Ditto when it comes to knickknacks, and all of those spices on the kitchen counters. We collect an AMAZING amount of junk each year – and that’s stuff you need to donate or throw away.  It’s a great time to have a yard sale!  Look in your closets, and remember that we want them to look spacious – not crammed to the hilt.

Do you have too many shoes in your closet, are they lined up? Go into your cabinets, and be PICKY – think about how a picture of that cabinet would look, try turning all of the coffee cup handles facing the same way.  You might need to rent a Storage Unit!  There are many visual things you can do to make a small space feel larger!

Don’t forget “staging” your outdoor spaces too! Curb appeal can mean the difference between someone even coming inside!  Finally, look closely at your home for any deferred maintenance items that need to be fixed.

If you would like more information or help with staging your home, please contact Raleigh Cary Realty at (919) 439-0965.