Home Staging Made Simple

Smart Move helps you sell your home

Home staging can make the difference when it comes to selling your home. Potential buyers are more impressed when you declutter and put your home in order. Smart Move provides the convenient temporary storage you need when you prepare your home for sale. What's more, Smart Move lets you go easily from home staging to transporting your belongings when it's time to move.

Follow these home-staging tips to improve your chances of selling your home sooner, rather than later.

Tip 1: Give priority to kitchens and bathrooms.

Kitchen and bath areas make a big impact on your home's value. Fixtures and built-in appliances should be clean and in good working order. Replace or repair leaky or damaged bathroom fixtures. Clean beneath sinks and vanities. Make sure toilet seats are spotless.

Go through cabinets and pantries to organize contents and make plenty of available space. Consider the added value of little upgrades, like cabinet hardware, faucets, or light fixtures. Such things can make a big difference in a buyer's perception.

Tip 2: Get an inspection before you list.

Any serious buyer will want to conduct an inspection before committing to purchase. If you first obtain a professional inspection yourself, you may relieve a buyer's concerns. A professional inspection supports your disclosure statement and lessens your liability. And it lets you know in advance of potential problems so you can take steps to correct them before home-staging.

Before you hire an inspector, make sure he is insured and carries the appropriate license or certification in your state. Membership in professional organizations (e.g., NACHI, ASHI, and NIBI) adds further credibility.

Remove worn-out furnishings and personal belongings.
Successful home-staging helps people visualize themselves in your home. Your favorite comfortable couch may not look so inviting to homebuyers. If your furniture is showing its age, consider storing it in a SmartVault and renting new furniture. Or use slipcovers to make upholstered items look fresh.

Remove family photos and other personal items, such as bowling trophies, taxidermy pieces, and wall hangings. Declutter closets, shelves, and storage areas. Remove things that make your home feel crowded so you can create a feeling of spaciousness.

Curb appeal is important.
Home staging is all about creating a good impression. The first thing prospective buyers see is the outside of your home. Paint or wash your home's exterior, including window casings, shutters, doors and siding. Wash windows, inside and out. Make sure gutters are clean.

To create an inviting entrance, sweep walks, porches and stoops and put down a new welcome mat. Consider adding potted plants near the front door.

Keep lawn, bushes and trees trimmed. Replace bad areas of your yard with new sod. Put fresh mulch in flower beds and around plants.

Keep things clean, bright, and smelling good.
Cleanliness is essential to home staging. Shampoo carpets, and scrub floors and walls. (It can be worth the expense to hire a professional cleaning service.) Consider a fresh coat of paint in rooms that see the most use. Window treatments should be clean and free of dust. Replace air filters to keep dust to a minimum.

Pay attention to how your home smells. Smoke or pet odors have killed many sales. Use odor-control measures, such as plug-ins or strategically placed potpourri. On busy showing days or before an open house, create a wonderful aroma by baking bread or cinnamon rolls.