How to Stage a Home Properly

One of the most daunting aspects of selling your home yourself is the staging of the home itself. It is possible to hire professional stagers that are trained to showcase the strong points of your home, but with a little time and effort you can stage your home yourself. The first thing to understand about staging a home is that you must attempt to disconnect yourself from the home on an emotional level. This is easier said than done, but it is necessary.

A good idea is to start with the most visual aspect of your home. The exterior. We will go into greater deatail about the interior in a moment. Cleaning up the facade of your home is an absolute must. ensure that lawns are mown and trimmed. Clear away any rough edges along the walkways and driveway. Also weed the gardens and plant some new flowers. Make the entrance to your home as welcoming as possible. After all, this is the first thing a prospective buyer will see when they look at your home. You want their first impression to be memorable...in a good way.

Now we move to the interior. The first thing you want to do is remove the clutter! Homes always have some sort of clutter that is best removed to showcase the home. This means you will have to spend some time going over what you need and don't need. Remember that a minimalist approach is a good idea. It can be difficult for buyers to envision their possessions in another home, try it yourself sometime at a friends home. Look around and think about what you would move or change. Now do this at your own home. Time to get rid of a few things? This must be done for every room, clean out all the closets and cupboards too. Buyers are nosey, and justifiably so. Like you did before they are investing in their future and they will go through closets and such to make sure there is sufficient room for their things.

Now to ensure that viewers have a great experience when in your home there are a few things that you can do. Lighting can set a great mood in a home. Be sure to have appropriate lighting for the time of day. Temperature is another good thing to remember. Viewers are less likely to explore a cold home. Set the temperature for a pleasant medium. If there is a fireplace, light it. This will add to the ambiance and showcase one of the most popular assets of a home. The whole point of staging is to make guests feel welcome and at home. Try leaving out some refreshments or snacks if you are so inclined. It is up to you how far you will go in staging your home, but the more effort you put in the better your home will show.

Ken Hamric is a representative of www.homesbyowner.com. Homes By Owner is an intuitive site that allows you to advertise your FSBO home in over 900 metro areas of the U.S. and Canada. Come and check out the largest network of FSBO experts in North America.