For Home Sellers from your Home Staging Resource

Guest Blog Post by:
Jamie McNeilis, ASP, IAHSP, Owner
Centerpiece Home Staging LLC
jamie.mcneilis@centerpiecehomestaging.com

Below is a list of key points for Sellers to address during the listing process:

1. Curb Appeal & Entry: Strive for great curb appeal by repainting front doors, pressure wash siding and concrete, trim landscaping and add flowers for color. Potential buyers are going to be standing there waiting for their Realtor to let them in and an unkempt entry is going to give them a bad first impression. They will assume that if the exterior of the home is not maintained, then neither is the inside.

2. Wallpaper & Borders: Wallpaper is very personal and will not appeal to the masses. When potential buyers see wallpaper, they are not going to want to tackle that project. Repaint walls using a warm and rich, yet neutral color.

3. Vertical Blinds and Popcorn Ceilings: Both of these are undesirable and date a home, making the home unsellable. Removal for both is recommended. No window treatments are better than ones that are dated.

4. Baths: Trash cans, cleaning products, and personal hygiene items need to be stored INSIDE vanities or closets. This is a MUST for the MLS photos as well!

5. Kitchens: Clear the counter tops with the exception of a few key Staging accessories. These could include a silk ivy plant in the corner with some attractive glass or ceramic canisters, and an attractive hardcover cookbook on a stand, for example. Depending on the size of the kitchen, I may allow sellers to keep one to two small appliances. Sides and top of refrigerator should be free from clutter - always.

6. Bedding: Do the seller's bedrooms appear "grandma-ish"? Any easy fix is a neutral and attractive bedding ensemble in a bag from stores such as Bed, Bath & Beyond. It will totally change the look and feel of the room. Sellers should make up the bed as it appears on the packaging. NEVER allow the box springs or bed frames show - this looks very unprofessional in MLS photos. Sellers should purchase a coordinating bed skirt from Wal-Mart, Target, etc.

7. Closets: Closets should appear well organized, roomy, and spacious. Box up seasonal clothes and donate or consign unwanted items. Arrange shoes neatly. Remove wire hangers and replace with UNIFORM hangers such as white or wood hangers. Try to have as few items on the floor as possible.

8. Pets: Reduce the number of pet belongings in the home and have an empty laundry basket available to quickly remove and store these items from the house during showings and open houses. This also includes whimsical pet items and "Wipe Your Paws" mats at the front entry. Spray air freshener to neutralize pet odors.

9. Maintenance and Repairs: Fix any known repair work before listing so less items show up on the seller's inspection report. This includes anything from wood rot to electrical and/or plumbing issues.

10. Never show a home without furniture! Just this week Real Estate expert Barbara Cocoran on the Today Show told sellers never to show a house without furniture if they have any other option. Centerpiece Home Staging specializes in the Staging of vacant homes. CHS owns their own inventory ranging from rugs to plants to lamps to large scale furniture. Home Staging Proposals are FREE.