As a seller, you need to appeal to the buyer’s
needs in order for them to write those top
dollar offers. Why did they decide to move?
What are they looking for that they do not have
now? One of the most appealing aspects of any
home is a feeling of spaciousness! Great! Your
home is tiny, that’s why you’re selling it!
How are you supposed to make it feel spacious
when you’re bursting out of each room?
S p a c i ou s ne ss 1 0 1
The #1 Rule of Home Staging is “Less is More!”
This is the time to give your home the illusion of space!
K i ds S tu f f
The kids toys, baby gear, backpacks, should all have
their own “spot”. The living room or front entrance is not
that “spot”. There are creative ways to store toys and
keep them at hand! A folding screen keeps larger items
at hand while providing a “hiding” place for showings.
The inside of storage trunks, toy chests, even furniture
with storage inside are all off limits to buyers’ inspections and are a great place to hide things at a moments
notice for those last minute showings!
Co l l e ct i on s
We all have keepsakes and collections. Whether it is
books, figurines, family photos, DVD’s …. They all need
to be packed away. Do you want the buyer to remember
your exhaustive DVD collection or the beautiful crown
moulding in your living room? Which do you think will
motivate the buyer to write an offer? The average buyer
is only in your home for 5-7 minutes. You have to direct
their eye to the focal points in each room. Remove
everything that would distract them. You benefit by
a higher selling price and less to pack on moving day!
Ex c es s Fu r ni tu r e
We all have those “extra” pieces of furniture. However,
it is critical to minimize the furniture in each room and
ensure it is room appropriate. Remove that spare desk
from the dining room corner. Take the sewing machine
out of the bedroom. If it does not “go” with the function
of the room – move it or store it! Essentially keep your
furniture choices selective and room appropriate.
Too much furniture in even the largest room makes it
appear small. The same is true for furniture that is
proportionately too large, it makes the room appear
much smaller. Keep in mind the buyer is looking to see
if their furniture will fit in your house. If your furniture
selections or layout leave your room feeling small or
cluttered, the buyer will leave with the perception that
the room is too small for their furnishings! No Offers!!
Often, it is very difficult for a Home Owner to envision
alternate furniture lay outs. A Home Stager can recommend a different lay out that best accentuates the room’s
focal point and allows for smooth traffic flows. For the
minimal cost of re-arranging furniture for a day or a brief
consultation, you’ll be thrilled with the result and the final
selling price!
Ba t h r oo m s
The trend currently is for Homes is to have a bathroom
“spa”! We all want a bathroom that entices us at the end
of a long day to escape into our own personal oasis!
This is the image we want to leave for potential Home
Buyers. Baskets look neat and tidy when buyers open
cabinet doors for inspections. Hang up towels neatly on
towel racks, and keep the shower curtain closed, have
candles in a nice display. Create the illusion of a home
spa! Buyers will anticipate coming home to it and you’ll
be surprised at how welcoming it is for you at the end of
a long day!
Ki tc hen s
Keep your kitchen counters clear of everything. No
papers, small appliances, canister sets, fruit bowls,
medications, teapots, etc. Fruit bowls can look great.
However, they leave a very different impression if you’ve
had a busy week and haven’t noticed the fruit
flies…hmmm! Since you have de-cluttered your cabinets and packed away your less used kitchen items, you
now have plenty of storage space. Place your small
appliances and canisters in the cabinets and keep your
counters clear and free of clutter! Why? When people
look at kitchens – they not only look for storage space in
the cabinets, they also look for counter space for food
prep! The more visible counter space the better! Your
kitchen becomes more functional with more counter top
workspace! With many couples now sharing meal
preparation, space for two working cooks is a huge
bonus! Fantastic selling feature!
Co n g ra tu l a ti o n s !
L o ok i ng Go o d !
You have now completed your de-cluttering and organizing your home. Always ensure your home looks neat
and tidy before leaving. After all, you never know when
someone may call and want to see your home! You
should never turn someone away or postpone a showing
because you left dishes in the sink! If at any time, you
find you are overwhelmed and need some help de-cluttering, or creating the illusion of space, Home Stagers
offer a number of different services from doing it all for
you – to leaving detailed written step by step recommendations on what you need to do. You will easily get a full
return on your investment many times over! Next month
we will be focusing on Getting your House Fresh and
Clean Inside and Out!
* for details on any quoted statistics, please visit my
website at:
www.maximumimpactplus.com
and for other studies to help you Sell your Home
Faster & for a Higher Selling Price.
- Angie Kendel / Maximim Impact Plus, Home Staging & Consulting