Staging like a Pro
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You Don't Need A Professional Stager If You Can...
               Price It Right
               Create a Blank Canvas  
               Design a "Home Personality"  

These are the fundamentals of professional home staging.  If you can think like a Pro Home Stager, you can save a bundle by doing-it-yourself. 

Home Staging Tips are everywhere.  You can find Staging "Do's and Don'ts" all over the Web, and on T.V.  While these shows and websites have all kinds of important information and ideas, they don't provide you a frame-work for tackling the job.  NOW is the time to think like a professional stager. 

PRICE
Price your home right, right from the start.  Those first days on the market are your chance to make a good impression on buyers. Talk to your Real Estate Agent to understand how he or she arrived at their recommended listing price.  Take a tour of your competition--the properties in your area that are the best match to the home you're trying to sell--and set your price to be competitive.  The right price will bring your potential buyer to your doorstep, and the staging will help seal the deal.  Pricing your home right from the start can also attract multiple buyers and possibly even drive the price higher. 

THE BLANK CANVAS
Your home  is now in transition.  You need to start letting go so that someone else  can GRAB IT.  Think of the house as a blank canvas, and start by taking as much as you can out of each of the rooms, leaving only the heavy furniture, or things that would be impractical to physically move.

You’re not just de-cluttering.  You're creating the clean canvas you need to start staging.

Next, CLEAN the space completely.  You want it to be really spotless.  Repair any damage, cracked plaster,  broken electrical covers, heater vent covers that need to be replaced, etc.  Go on a hunt for all the little things.  This is a time to be as picky as you would be if you were looking at a new home to buy.  It's time to "sweat the small stuff."

When you're done with this first step, you'll have a clean, crisp canvas, ready for a style designed for selling.

Staging Tip: This is a good time in the process to think about renting a storage unit. They are inexpensive and you will only need it for a short time. 

DESIGN A "HOME PERSONALITY"
Now that you have created a clean staging canvas, you're ready to create the right "Home Personality", a look and feel that will speak to your buyer and literally make them feel at home.  Begin your search for a "personality" by looking outside in your own neighborhood.  What type of character does the neighborhood have?  Where is the home located?  Is it an urban setting, suburban community, country club or rural setting?  Who are the people who live there, and what type of homes are around your home?  When looking for a "home personality" you want to bring the outside "in".  Buyers often choose a neighborhood before they choose a home, so your home needs to reflect the same elements that attracted the buyers to your area.  With your home's "personality" in mind, you're ready to start designing the right Staging Style that will sell your home.