subject: Quick Tips For Do It Yourself Home Staging [print this page] Homes are easiest to sell when the buyer can move in tomorrow. As color is a key factor of home staging, it makes an immediate impression. Home stagers deal with room colors many different ways.
Different stagers have rules for painting the house and one guiding rule for your home's exterior is 3 colors. If your home is gray with white shutters, it's okay to use a third color and one that most people will like.
Tip No. 1 - Make an impression through colors.
You may want to use "move in colors" for things that will stay in the home, and decorate with moveable colors in the form of accessories like throw pillows, towels and artwork.
Paint is your best decorating tool, remember home staging is about showcasing your home's best features. Starting with an all white stairway (white ceiling, light fixture, walls and stair treads), the stager can make the front entrance to the condo spectacular by adding color to the walls (medium gray), treads (dark brown to match railings and banister) and a new ceiling fixture that compliments the rich brown wood of the stairs. The white accents from the stair risers, balusters and ceiling are dramatic and highly effective against the gray walls.
Tip No. 2 - Get Rid of the Clutter
You're selling your house and that's what the buyer's want to see, not a busy wall filled with too many family photographs or a room filled with too many plants. When you move, you'll have to sort through and decide what moves with you versus what gets given away or is relegated to the trash.
Consider this project, step 1 in your eventual move. You'll save yourself time and make better decisions because as stressful as it might seem now, it will be even more so when you're juggling 2 closings, the movers and a long list of related projects.
Tip No. 3 - Keep It Clean
One of the biggest challenges in selling a house is leaving it spic and span every morning, as you run off to work. Many states use lock boxes so real estate agents can enter your home at any time, and newer systems keep track of when they arrived and left your house.
When you think about clean, it's about how the home looks starting at the street, walking through the home and into the backyard so now you'll look at the garbage cans with new eyes. People may also be sensitive to smells so make sure your home smells as nice as it looks but don't go overboard with air fresheners as they might wonder what you're trying to hide.
