Selling your home? Staging is important but so are these 3 things.

In today’s world, homeowners, realtors, and investors realize that there are many factors that can make selling a home faster, easier, and more profitable.  Things like timing and staging.  It’s a known fact that when buyers see how a space can be used, they are more likely to buy – and empty spaces don’t provide ANY insight to those who just “can’t picture it” on their own.  Staging is very important and provides sellers with an advantage over the competition; but it shouldn’t end with open spaces.

Buyers look at and consider EVERYthing, and rightfully so – a home is the biggest investment a person can make.  So invariably, house hunters open cabinets, drawers, and closets, and even touch furnishings.  It’s only natural.  Make sure you are doing all you can to make the sale!

Organize your closets.

House hunters open closets!  They want to actually SEE how much storage space a home has to offer.  Just because the home you are selling has 10 closets (I don’t know what world that’s in), it doesn’t mean they are 10 efficiently USABLE closets.  So folks open them and look – a sale can be made or lost based on closet space.  So maximize yours – all of them – just by organizing them.  It doesn’t have to be anything major like an enlargement or new closet system.  Wow potential buyers with simple things like:

1. shoes (sandals, pumps, boots).  To free up space, keep outerwear in the coat closet or store them away if possible.
2. If you share a closet, create separation by designating zones.  And apply the previous tip to each partner’s zone.
3. Create “white space”.  In other words, don’t overcrowd the closet.  People don’t care if you have 105 pair of shoes, they care about the space they’ll have for THEIR’s. So since you have to pack anyway, take this time to go through your things – choose to donate or sell items you no longer need or store items you don’t need immediately.  Clear out enough that your hangers swing freely when you walk by them and you can easily see EVERY pair of shoes (YES that means you need to recycle the boxes).
4. Speaking of hangers…. Use the same type of hangers for everything.  Consistency counts and this small change can take your closet to the next level.  Just make sure you DO NOT use wire hangers PLEASE (and thank you)!

Organize your cabinets, drawers, linen closets, and laundry rooms.

Yes, folks look in these too!  Not because they’re nosey, but because they need to know what they’re working with (NOT dresser drawers though – that would just be a violation)!  Keep it all neat and efficient:

1. 1. In the kitchen, put things in places that make sense.  Towels nearest the sink, glasses nearest the fridge, cookware nearest the stove, etc.  And try to keep things neatly stacked, as if they are always on display.  Just imagine that all your cabinets have glass fronts (and include the pantry).   Check out 3 Tips to Organize Your Kitchen for basic ideas.
   2. In the linen closet, keep like items on the same shelf, sorted by color, and folded neatly in the same direction.  Ok this may be a bit on the anal side, but it looks GREAT!  If the thought of it just makes you itch, remove and store most items and just keep the minimum to meet your needs – if everything is the same color (white linens are FAB), that makes it even easier!
   3. In the bathroom, similar to the kitchen, put things in places that make sense.  Extra TP near the “throne” (perhaps in a basket that suits your style), extra towels on an open shelf (or in a basket that suits your style), etc.  And clear the clutter – counters should be totally clear of your… “stuff”.
   4. And don’t forget the laundry room!  An organized and well stocked laundry room is worth its square footage in gold!  Take the same approach to it as you would the kitchen and linen closet.

Provide house hunters with options.

Let me explain.  Staging is great but it only provides 1 way the home’s rooms can be used.  Consider adding a few 2D or 3D renderings to MLS listings and open house flyers.  That way people can see how a flex room might be used as an office, media room, guest bedroom or all of the above.  It’s different and it takes some work, but it could be that extra little push that puts your home ahead of the competition.

I realize that most homeowners may not have the time, expertise, or tools to pull together 2D or 3D renderings of their homes.  If your realtor cannot help you, consider contacting a professional decorator, designer, or stager – Xtraordinary by Design can help with this and with organizing your space to show it off in its best possible light.

Happy home selling!