Staging a home can raise its value and help you get to closing sooner. But staging isn't just about fresh-baked cookies in the oven! One reason why Homesale Realty team members consistently move homes faster than the competition is our modern approach to staging each home.

Learning to stage homes means unlocking a new skill that can add thousands of dollars to your average home sale. Whether you decide to do it yourself or hire a professional home staging service, however, it's crucial to develop an eye for staging possibilities. After all, they help you showcase a home in its absolute best light.

Telling the story of a home's unique value is at the heart of real estate. Staging is one more tool to do it!

With the growing popularity of home renovation and flipping shows, many of your clients have probably heard about staging. They might even have experienced it firsthand. Average sellers may know that they need to tidy up and use natural light, but they don't know enough about staging to make a big difference.

That gives you an amazing opportunity to add value they can see in their bottom line on closing day.

Use these tips to get sellers on board and stage a home successfully:

• Start by Explaining Your Plan
  Many of the tips that go into home staging can raise sellers' hackles. They might not see why they have to "depersonalize" or even declutter to sell a property. But the impact of staging is indisputable, and the first impression it creates may be the difference between spending a few days on the market versus a few months.
  
  
• Lighten Up
  Take down heavy curtains, drapes, and other window treatments in favor of lighter alternatives – or nothing at all. Where there isn't much natural light, use mirrors and lamps creatively to reflect light and make the space seem larger. Update light fixtures to brighter bulbs and schedule showings for ideal light conditions.
  
  
• Remove Personal Items
  Totally "un-decorating" a home can make it seem sterile, like visiting a hotel, but you should clear away anything that's a potential distraction. In particular, hygiene tools like toothbrushes, soap, and hairbrushes can catch buyers' attention in the bathroom, detracting from what could be a major selling point.
  
  
• Declutter and Clear Pathways
  The rule of thumb is to get closets at least 50% clear so your buyers can get a good sense of how much storage they will have. The more space you can make, the better. This extends all throughout the home, too: Make sure it's easy to get in, out, and around. Consider storing any little-used furniture items before a showing.
  
  
• Clean House from Top to Bottom
  Sellers should be encouraged to go all-out with cleaning, hiring experts if needed. The ideal routine includes steam-cleaning all carpets and upholstery, power-washing exterior walls, dusting, and scrubbing counters and sinks. This is particularly crucial if you have pets, since some buyers may be allergic.
  
  
• Tidy Up the Landscaping
  When you're selling a home with a big yard, it naturally turns into a focal point of buyer attention. Get ready by making sure the grass is manicured. Lawn debris and tools should be out of sight. Now may be the time to simplify or remove landscaping elements so the buyer doesn't worry about inheriting lots of work.

Sellers might balk at some aspects of staging, but they will be much happier when they see the results. As part of our team, you can learn much more about helping any home to look its best. Contact BHHS Homesale Realty to get started.