• Declutter and depersonalize.One of the best ways to stage your home for someone else to imagine living there is to get rid of your personal stuff. Declutter books, pictures, knickknacks, and anything else that is exclusively you.
  • Paint walls in neutral tones. Certain paint colors allow buyers to imagine the home as their own. The best colors tend to be tan, beige, or yellows, depending on the light in your room.
  • Turn on ALL the lights.If you don’t have enough light, things can look drab and dreary, especially if you have showings on a gray day. If you don’t have enough overhead lights, try buying inexpensive table or floor lights to brighten up your room. Always make sure all light bulbs are working.
  • Set the table.A blank dining room table is boring. Instead, set it for a fancy dinner party so there is a wow factor when buyers walk in and see your beautifully arranged table.
  • Add mirrors.Mirrors make rooms look larger. If you need some inexpensive mirrors, I suggest TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Target.
  • Keep furniture proportional to the room.Strategically placing a minimal amount of furniture in a small space works best. If your room is large, make sure to adjust the size of your furniture so it scales with the room. The room should appear comfortable and airy.
  • Minimize art and decorations.When staging a room use paintings that are landscapes or abstract, or figurative art that brings out an accent color in the room without being too specific. Remember, buyers need to imagine your home as their own, too personalize items are a sure fire way to get your house overlooked.
  • Turn your bathroom into a spa.You want all your towels and accessories to be clean and coordinated. This is the time to use those guest towels!
  • Add pops of color.Once you paint the walls a pleasure neutral hue, think about adding in pops of color. These could be colorful pillows on couches and beds, or a bowl of variety of apples in the kitchen.
  • Clean out and organize closets.Buyers are looking for storage, if they open your closets and see a mess, they will assume your house does not have enough storage. They want to know they will have plenty of room to spread out in their new home. I suggest pairing down your closets to just the essentials. Bedroom closets look best when all the hangers are the same style and color, and the clothes are separated by color.
  • Clear off countertops.Get rid of all clutter in bathrooms and kitchens except for the bare necessities.  Kitchens are often the number one priority on a buyer’s list, so make yours look as clean, open, and spacious as possible.

And finally, don’t forget the outside of your house! The curb appeal will be the first impression buyers will have of your home. Be sure to take these steps outside:

  • Clean your front porch. The buyer will spend an extra minute or two on the front porch as they are getting the door open, and then on the way out of the house, as they are discussing the house. Make this a place the buyer feels comfortable hanging out in. Clear any cobwebs, leaves, and dead plants out of the way. And don’t forget to make sure the walk way is safe, any loose or missing items need to be replaced or repaired.
  • Trim your bushes. Make sure all plantings in front of the house are trimmed and growing. If any plantings have died, replace before listing your home.
  • Keep your driveway clear of vehicles during showings. Buyers want to know they can have guests over to their new house, and have a place for them to park. Don’t clutter up the driveway with your cars. During showings, remove all cars, so the buyer and agent have somewhere to park.
  • Paint your house and front door. If your house has chipping or faded paint, now is the time to replace it. You want the house to look as maintenance free as possible, buyers do not want to start adding up repair costs before they even enter your home.
  • Fresh Flowers. There are always flowers in season, no matter where you live. We are especially lucky in NC that we have plants that will grow year-round. That little burst of color could make the difference between your house, and the other houses the buyers have seen that day.