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The Real Deal
Staging pro offers tips for home sellers
By Pam Killion
Putting a home up for sale can be a very stressful proposition. Often homeowners don't know where to begin or what steps to take when it's time to get a home ready for the public eye. Hiring a stager is like hiring someone to edit a rambling speech. A stager will go through the home with an eye toward making the most of a home's assets while making the process as comfortable as possible for the homeowner.
Here are some tips for sellers:
Remove Clutter--Start outside and look at both the front and back yards. Don't forget to get rid of unused flower pots, dead foliage, old hoses, broken outdoor furniture, stained umbrellas, and so on. Inside, make sure to remove clutter from floors, tabletops, bookcases, desktops and kitchen tables. Bare surfaces are best. It's easy to get used to clutter and no longer see it.
Store Clutter--One option for getting clutter out of the way is to store it. Several companies offer storage services that deliver a storage container to the driveway. Fill the container and the storage company will remove and store belongings for a monthly fee. Since moving is just around the corner, it's just one step closer to getting ready to pack.
Freshen--If exterior house paint is cracked and peeling, repaint. If the front lawn is crab grass and weeds, replace it with sod. Plant a few colorful annuals. No front yard? Use pots. "Curb appeal" is very important. It will either invite a prospective buyer into a home or tell them to go on to the next home on their list. Getting them through the front door is the goal!
Liven--If it is within budget, paint the inside of the home a neutral color and replace old, soiled or badly stained carpets with new, neutral-colored carpeting. This gives not only a fresh, clean look, but it lends itself to design versatility.
Enhance--Leave "white space." In advertising, many of the most eye-catching ads are the ones that have a lot of white space, which allows the consumer to focus on the message. It's important for the prospective buyer to focus on the home.
Brighten--Adding fresh flowers to any room immediately brightens it and brings in the outdoors. Small, dark bathrooms especially benefit from a burst of color and lots of light.
Lighten--When showing a home, put at least one light on in every room. Not only will it brighten the home, but it will make it feel more inviting and intimate.
Every home going up for sale can benefit from staging. The goal is to highlight the best features and qualities so a prospective buyer will make a personal connection with the home.
Pam Killion is a Realtor with Alain Pinel Realtors and co-owner, with Sharon Perry and Kathy Carlquist, of Show House Staging and Design in Los Gatos.
Information provided in this column is presented by the Realtor members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors at www.siliconvalley-realtors.org. Send questions on any topic to jnewton@jnpr.com.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
