Friday, February 12, 2010
by Nicki Campbell
by Nicki Campbell
I spend a lot of my time helping our clients "stage" their homes before putting them on the market. This involves de-cluttering, deep cleaning, re-arranging furniture, painting, removing wallpaper, removing cooking, pet and smoking odors (as much as is possible) and more. Some clients are open to this and others simply cannot be convinced that it is necessary.
I recently went out to the home of a friend who has lost her husband in the past year and was thinking of selling her large home in Worthington and moving to a cozier one in a different part of town. She had already had a "feng shui" lady out to the house who advised her to paint accent walls, place furniture in a certain way, move pictures, etc. I gave her suggestions that were quite different because I was looking at her home as a saleable property that would appeal to the largest possible cross-section of buyers.
My guess is that she will take the feng shui lady's suggestions, make changes that will personalize her home, and stay in it. But the experience illustrates an interesting point: there is a big difference between decorating a home for yourself and staging a home to sell it to others! When you decorate your home, you are doing it to suit your taste and personality. You will probably bring in colors, objects and patterns that you love. Family pictures will be evident and personal tastes and hobbies will be on display. You will feel comfortable and "at home" in it because it will reflect you.
This is the exact opposite of what you should do to prepare your home for sale. Your first goal should be to "de-personalize" each room, i.e. to take your personality out so that prospective buyers can imagine themselves and their own possessions in the home. Most of the family pictures should be packed away, wall colors should be neutral, decorative objects should be pared down and furniture should be arrange to make the room appear larger. Walls should be painted in a neutral shade, carpets should be cleaned (or replaced), windows should be washed, woodwork touched up --everything should look fresh and new.
This is not to say that your home should be sterile and unwelcoming! Although walls and floors should be neutral, a few carefully chosen accent pieces and bright throw pillows will help to make the home appear warm and inviting. A breakfast bar or dining table might be set with colorful placemats and dishes, a basket of soaps and some candles might be arranged beside the tub, a book might be placed beside a bed or an armchair -- all to help buyers envision themselves living in and enjoying the home themselves.
If all this sounds too much to tackle or too difficult to figure out for yourself, that's why we are here! We have been doing this for years and can recommend lots of things that will help make your house sell as quickly as possible. (We can also give you the names of some professional stagers who will do an even better job.)
Unless, like my friend, you decide to stay in your home and decorate it just for you!