Beat the competition: "stage" your home

Has your listing agent suggested that you “stage” your home prior to putting it on the market? Have you been encouraged to stage it because several weeks have elapsed with no forthcoming offer? Have you concluded that “staging” is that little “extra” that will elevate your home above the competition?

If so, focus on the following “looks” for different rooms:

The living room – if there is a key feature, such as a fireplace, arrange furniture to focus on the fireplace.

If hardwood flooring is a positive feature, use a small area rug to call attention to it.

Enhance light from outside by keeping window coverings to a minimum.

Reduce distractions by removing bookshelves and their contents or reducing same by at least half.

The home office – if cluttered with more than a few pieces of furniture, open up the traffic pattern from entry to windows (light sources).

Remove all but one or two pieces of furniture.

Use a contrasting accent piece on one wall to highlight one “use” area (if you have both a desk and a sitting area in the room).

The master bedroom – consider the color of the room; it should have a restful, soft color.

The carpet should be in neutral shades, the better to “fit” with the buyer’s furnishings.

Open the traffic flow to key areas, such as the master bath and the closet/storage areas.

Keep wall decorations to a minimum and depersonalized (i.e., no family pictures).

In all rooms, consider whether each piece of furniture is necessary. Less is more; that antique end table you inherited from Grandmother may be valuable to you, but if it doesn’t fit with the one couch you leave in the living room, take Grandma’s piece with you when you leave or put it in storage until the home sells.

Key elements include…
light (from the windows) in addition to well-placed interior lighting;
all walking areas, including stairs and their landings should be free of stopping points, such as small tables or similar decorations;and,
neutral colors with contrasting elements such as occasional pictures or carefully placed plants will show well.

Staging does not require furniture in every room; if the home is going to be vacant, concentrate on the living room, master bedroom, and one other center of activity, such as the kitchen, family room, or office. The point is to show how the room might be used without overwhelming the buyer with the seller’s personal “stamp.”