One focus of my business is occupied staging to prepare your home for sale while you are living in it. I work with both real estate agents and individual home owners to help prepare for photography, to depersonalize, to appeal to the greatest number of buyers, and to sell the listing quickly for a higher price. This means you need to view your home as a marketable object and to detach emotionally.
Make a great first impression. From curbside to inside, your yard and home should be clean, tidy, and odor free. The goal is to make the home feel as new and spacious as possible. RESA staging statistics have shown that buyers form an opinion of the home within the first 15 seconds of entering the door.
Declutter. This word has many different meanings depending on the individual because we all have our forms of clutter. You are planning to sell and move quickly, so give away or sell what you no longer need or want. Box up any items you are not using in staging and store until you are ready to move. Clutter may send a message that the home really doesn’t have enough space.
Depersonalize. You want your buyer to see your home and imagine themselves living there. Family photos, trophies, diplomas and items with names on them need to be removed.
Photos. Make the most of your space by rearranging or removing extra furnishings as needed. If your room looks crowded in person, it will look crowded in the picture. The rooms need to feel spacious. Have those counters clean and free of clutter. Open your window blinds or curtains to allow the most light into the room.
Spend a little money. Your living area, kitchen, master bedroom and bath are some of the main rooms buyers focus on. Hire a stager to present your property in the best light while providing the neutrality and objectivity to accomplish the goal.
Kathy has been involved in the interior design and furnishing industry for over twenty years. She has worked independently as well as for design firms and large corporations. She holds a BFA from Texas Christian University and served on the Board of the Dallas Fort Worth Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.
