How To Stage A Home For Sale

The goal of home staging is to create a lived-in environment that gets an emotional response from a buyer-- and increases your sales price. Here's how to do it yourself. Learn how to stage a home for sale.

Step 1:
Put Your Best Face Forward
Pay attention to the front of the house and the entryway- this is your home's "face." Clean the steps, tend the yard, paint the entry if there are any chips, and buy plants and flowers to make the place look like a beauty.
Step 2:
Kick Out The Clutter
According to professional house stager Lyn Sherer, most people can't identify their own clutter. What seems necessary or decorative to you may look like a mess to outsiders. Do a walk-through with a friend, have him tell you what's clogging the space, and get rid of it. If it doesn't hurt a little- you're not doing it right.
Step 3:
Open Up
According to Sherer, the houses that get top dollar contain less furniture, not more. A clean and minimal approach to the furnishings allows the space to shine, makes a room seem bigger, and allows the buyer to imagine her own furniture in place. Consider putting a few pieces, like extra chairs and side tables, in storage.
Step 4:
Furnish It
But a completely EMPTY house creates it's own problems. As our pro says, "Most people can't identify with an empty space." If you've already moved out, stage your house to make it look like a home. Borrow from friends, or buy used pieces. Renting furniture saves time because it includes delivery, but can be expensive in the long term. Consider buying dummy electronics from prop houses, rather than spending money on real ones.
Step 5:
Be An Art Lover
Don't leave the walls blank. Art that's hung at eye level makes the space more welcoming, and distracts from less attractive things that may be going on with the floor or ceiling. But keep it simple, and put away the personal photos- these make it harder for a buyer to envision himself living in the space.
Step 6:
Eliminate Eyesores
Nobody wants to pay top dollar for a house that needs work. Fix everything you can, from bathroom caulking, to cracked tiles.
Step 7:
Make Difficult Spaces Work
If a space presents a problem, solve it so the buyer doesn't have to. For instance, if a room is small, get furnishings that make it feel roomier and highly functional.
Step 8:
The Little Things
Stagers use a variety of details to pull emotional triggers with buyers. Lighting candles, stocking fine towels and soaps in the bathroom, baking cookies and putting out fresh flowers are little things that make a big impact. It can be time-consuming to prep to the hilt for every buyer, but can make a difference in getting a good offer.
Step 9:
Beautify- But Don't Lie
Minimizing small cosmetic problems, like covering a cracked tile with a plant, is part of making the home feel pleasant. But hiding a real problem, like structural damage or leaky pipes, is illegal. If you're not sure where you stand, ask your agent.