Staging Your Home

 Looking to sell your home in the Columbia River Gorge or need to sell your home so you can live in Hood River?

Many homeowners are now staging their homes before they put them on the market. Home staging can be defined as the act of preparing a home (and the contents of the home) for sale, with special emphasis on presentation and appearance.¹  

There are many different levels of staging. Staging a home can be done at no cost or can involve hiring a professional to come stage your home. Staging a home can be done with any budget.

1.  De-clutter - The most common tip for people who want to stage their home is to declutter. Decluttering is one the cheapest things you can do that can add a lot of value to your home. You want potential buyers to look at your home and the amenities it has not at your things. Also clutter can make your home look messy and disorganized. If your closets are stuffed and you have stuff crammed into places, you should remove these items. This is a great tip for people who are moving because they need more space, you don’t want to show case to potential buyers how the house does not have enough space for your family. If your home is for sale, you obviously plan on moving, therefore you will need to eventually pack your things why not start now.

2.  De-personalize - Again you are trying to showcase your home, not your family or your personal interests or beliefs. If you are worried about someone being offended of an item (for example a painting), you might as well remove it. Why turn off a buyer over something that could have been easily removed.

3.Clean – This may seem obvious, but it is very important to have your house deep cleaned. Sometimes it may be good to ask a friend or hire a professional to help. When living in a home many times you may miss areas and not notice areas that collect dust. Your home is one of your biggest investments you should want to impress buyers. If you were selling your car, you wouldn’t have a potential buyer come look at it with food wrappers on the floor, many even have their cars detailed. With your house being your bigger investment why would you not spend the time or hire someone to help you?

4. Remove/Replace Favorite Items - If you want to take an item, for example the chandelier, replace it before a buyer sees it. Rather then excluding items from the sale that a potential buyer could want, just remove them now. It is important to talk to your real estate agent about which items are considered fixtures. A good rule of thumb is if you need a screwdriver to remove it, it probably is considered a fixture not personal property. All fixtures are suppose to be included. 

5. Smell - Many people are sensitive to smell. You need to be aware of any odors, especially if you have pets or smoke. It may be helpful to ask for an outsider's opinion, since you may be used to any odors. You also want to be aware of any short-term smells you may produce. Some common examples are cooking fish or cleaning products you use.   

6. Make Minor Repairs Now - By making repairs now there will be less items that will need to be addressed during the home inspection. The home inspection will disclose EVERYTHING, don't let buyers be intimidated about a long list of small items which can easily be taken care of. Also by making minor repairs now it will show buyers that you have taken good care of your home.

As real estate agents we are very knowledgeable about staging homes and how it can be more appealing to buyers. We walk through houses with buyers all the time and hear their comments and turnoffs. Ask your agent at Don Nunamaker, Realtors for more helpful tips.

¹http://www.homebuyinginstitute.com/staging/