Staging Steps

STEP ONE — Repairs
If there is anything broken or not working, it needs to be fixed. Buyerís don't want to purchase someone else's repair list.

STEP TWO — Un-clutter and organize
How you live in your home and how you market your home are two different ways. A prospective buyer gets tired if he has to look at too many items. So pack up early. This is a great time to sort through years of keeping items and donate, sell or give away unused items. Too many objects in a room make the space look smaller. While rooms should be uncluttered, they should also be filled with enough belongings to make the house look inviting and enticing.

STEP THREE — Cleaning
It may seem obvious, but having a clean house is very critical. Buyers will be comfortable exploring every nook and cranny when they notice that your house is spotlessly clean. They will also sense that the house has been lovingly cared for. Clean every inch of space and every item in it. Or, hire professionals to start the process.

STEP FOUR — Wide Appeal
A home on the market should appeal to the widest possible audience. Choose warm, neutral colors for paint, flooring or wall coverings. Fairly neutral decor sells the best as most people cannot visualize past dark green walls or rust shag carpeting. Many also want a ready-to-move in house and do not want to spend the time, energy or money painting or replacing materials after they move in. They often also overestimate what it would cost to make these changes and will discount your house accordingly.

STEP FIVE — Positioning
Proper positioning is the "magic" that makes the house inviting, creating as many positive impressions and feelings as possible. This encourages buyers to linger. And the longer they linger, the higher the chance they will make an offer. Good staging is effective because when potential buyers walk into your home, they carry with them all their hopes for their new life in a new place. How they feel in the home ultimately gets reflected in the sales price and the number of offers. Prestige, love, dreams - common denominators that we all have, is at work in the home purchase.