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As part of our Simplify business, we offer staging services. We know that in today’s climate the housing market is pretty crazy, but it never hurts to spend that little extra attention to really push your listing over the top. We know what looks good in homes and what helps sell houses, and we have had great success in partnering with realtors to help homes sell faster.
To give you a better idea of staging services, let’s go room by room and share we typically do for staging clients. These are typically a four-hour block, and we bring in our expertise without the costs of additional materials.
First location: the kitchen. Kitchens need completely clear counters. This means nothing out – no soap, no scrubs, no towel holders, no coffee maker. Put every single thing away! Don’t worry though, this is for pictures and showings. Clear counters are not something that you have to live with long-term when selling your home. The reality is that clear and clean spaces help potential buyers see themselves in your home. I also pick up extra rugs around the house and put them away. Unless it is only a few hours old, most rugs in kitchens and bathrooms look used or dirty. We always remove them. Not having rungs in a space also makes the area seem larger in pictures.
Living Rooms: Our next tip is fairly well known, even if you haven’t sold a home before. You should remove or minimize the personal details on walls. This includes pictures of your family and faith-based decor. You do not need to remove every item, but multiple items or anything distracting to buyers should be put away. For wall decor, it is better to have less than to have too much.
When staging living rooms, be open about configurations. Don’t be afraid to move furniture and try something new. We redo living rooms all the time by re-configuring or removing some furniture. Many clients have an abundance of furniture in their living rooms, and each extra piece will make the space feel smaller. Th focus should be on making areas feel and appear larger with less items.
Secret tip: we typically do not worry about garages when staging. They’re not something that a potential buyer would scrutinize. Potential buyers are aware that you are moving and that anything extra that is taken from the home goes to the garage.
Bathrooms: These are a lot like kitchens. When staging, we put everything away, clear the counters, and make sure that each inch is clean. We usually keep towels hanging, but remove soaps and rugs.
The last bit of advice is to think about where a photographer will stand to take pictures of your home. Try taking a few pictures yourself. Once a picture is taken you can see the details in a whole new way. This can help to highlight a detail you may have overlooked.
Good luck staging and have fun! Call us if you need help.
Steph, Kristin and Sara