Philadelphia Real Estate Home Staging Tips
Philadelphia Real Estate Home Staging Tips
By Larry Flick, Prudential Fox & Roach, Realtors
Four Tips to Help Stage Your Home
As the weather warms, so does the real estate market! What better way to kick of the season than learning about ways to better market your home when selling your home?
Staging your home is a necessary step to selling a home that many people tend to neglect. If done correctly, your house can look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer and, best of all; it makes a home buyer want to buy it!
Here are four tips to help you stage your home this selling season:
#1. Take a Step Back
It is hard to comprehend but in a hopefully short time, your house will no longer be your home. It will be someone else’s home. With that in mind, take a step back and think what a potential buyer is looks for in a home. Although you may love the Philadelphia Eagles inspired green and white basement, others may not. If this is the case, stick with practical, neutral colors such as white, beige or light green.
You want potential home buyers to step into the house and picture their own furniture and photos in the space. A home seller should minimize their imprint. To do this, home stages suggest getting a head start on packing! Pack up the personal items and photographs, as well as extra furniture that clutters more than is functional. The items and pieces should fill the space, but leave room so that buyers can picture filling it with their own accents, photos and style.
Make the decision to “let go” of your emotions and focus on your goal of selling your home. This may be challenging at first, but take a deep breath and go for it!
#2. Check Curb Appeal
The first thing a potential home buyer sees is the outside of the house and front yard. Landscaping is nice, but in this economy it is not in everyone’s budget. At a minimum, lawns should be freshly mowed and tidy. Consider hanging a potted plant for the entrance or plant some flowers. Sweep the porch, deck and walk ways and ensure garbage and recycling are tucked away neatly away out of view. Scrub your front door, porch, outside railings and steps. This is more economical than repainting and makes a world of difference. Once the outside entrance is clean, and then decide if the paint really needs a touch up.
#3. Clean, Clean, Clean!
First impressions are everything when looking for a home. If a potential buyer confronted to uncleanly conditions such as clutter or dust, it could be detrimental.
Keep in mind that you want your house to look in tip top shape to all potential buyers. With that saying, make sure you clean and un-clutter everything!
Here is a laundry list (no pun intended) of items to clean to ensure your home showing will go smoothly:
Wash windows inside and out
Hire a professional or rent a pressure washer and spray down the exterior of your home including your driveway and sidewalks
Vacuum and dust daily – make sure to clean out any cobwebs
Open a window to rid any odors and allow clean air to replenish your home
Hang up fresh towels
Replace worn rugs
Clean the refrigerator
Make every bed
#4. A little Goes a Long Way
Remember that the “little” accents around your home will go a long way in the eyes of a potential buyer. For example, having freshly squeezed lemonade or freshly cut flowers are wonderful accents to help the buyer feel “at home.”
In addition, lighting is another little accent that can go a long way. Staging your home with subtle, soothing lighting can highlight the amount of space, character and brightness of a home. This means replacing light bulbs and setting the lighting before leaving your house when expecting a showing.
Think of all the little things you noticed, appreciated or judged when you visit an open house. Assess your home with those things in mind, or invite a friend to walk through your home and give you feedback.
Selling your home is hard, so stage it so to attract the best possible buyer to love your home are you do.
To search Philadelphia Real Estate listings for condos, homes and apartments click here.
Blog post compliments of CenterCityTeam’s Philadelphia Real Estate Blog
Frank L. DeFazio, Esquire
Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors – Society Hill
530 Walnut Street, Suite 260
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215.521.1623 Direct
610.636.4364 Cellular
888.308.1148 Fax
[email protected]
www.CenterCityTeam.com
