7 Tips for Chehalis / Centralia Home Sellers: Tip # 4

7 Tips for Chehalis / Centralia Home Sellers: 

Tip # 4: Staging Your Home

Hey there! Eren Millam Realtor here and I want to tell you why it’s important to stage your home when selling. Last week, I spoke about the importance of correctly pricing your home and you can find that video here.

When you first started house hunting, you probably gave your agent a list of criteria that you wanted in a home. They probably took you to a few that matched all your criteria only to find out that’s not at all what you wanted. When they ask you for feedback, you probably said, “I don’t know, I just don’t “feel” it”. Sound familiar? Well I am here to tell you today that the feeling you didn’t feel probably has to do with how your home is staged.

When I talk about staging, I’m not talking about professional staging, although that is your best option. Sometimes staging can be as simple as re-arranging furniture so the showing can “flow” though the house. Buyers do not buy a home because it matches their criteria, they buy it because of how it makes them feel. This may seem silly to you, but I encourage you to try it for yourself!

Here’s more evidence. When agents were asking if staging made a difference to their buyer, 96% said it had some or a great effect on their buyers. If a buyer can’t imagine themselves in your home, they won’t buy it period.

So here’s some things you can do to stage your home on your own:

Clean: Not your average cleaning, but spring cleaning type of cleaning. Deep cleaning throughout the house. Dust, vacuum, mop and don’t forget to clean the windows!

Light: Make sure all your lights work, and turn them on. Open up the blinds and let natural light in. Turn unnecessary electronics off (tv, computer, etc).

Pre-pack: Remove personal items and knick-knacks, remove rugs, and make sure to put away daily use items such as shoes/hygiene etc. Put away toys, remove items from refrigerator, pack personal photos etc.

If a doorway is blocked or you can’t easily move from one room to the next, open it up!

It’s annoying, but you have think of your home full of memories, now as a product that you’re trying to sell for top dollar. If your memories are everywhere in the house, the new buyer won’t be able to imagine their own memories. Worse than that, I’ve had buyers get sidetracked looking at photos on the wall or perusing the titles of magazines on your coffee table. If the buyer has more interest in anything other than the home, you’ve lost them because they won’t even remember it.

So staging makes a big impression on buyers whether it is done or not done. I’ve outlined a few things you can do on your own and can answer any question you might have if you want to take it further. Next week, we’ll talk about marketing and what it takes to get today’s buyers to pay top dollar for your home. Now, get out there and make it an Extraordinary day!

4 Things Chehalis/Centralia area Sellers Ask and Buyer’s Expect

4 Things Chehalis/Centralia area Sellers Ask and Buyer’s Expect

As a Chehalis/Centralia area Realtor, I frequently get asked by sellers what they can do to improve the value of their home and get the highest possible price. The answer to that question, which has been proven by various studies, is to stage your home how a buyer would expect it. Meaning, if a seller wants top dollar, stage it so a buyer sees what they would expect out of a top dollar home. Here are the top 4 things Chehalis/Centralia area buyers expect:

Search Homes for Sale in Chehalis - Search All Homes for Sale in Centralia

#1 – Clean

Photo courtesy of  Jackson Cleaning

Nothing ruins a showing more than an unkempt house with a foul smell! Cleaning just isn’t about picking up and putting away – it’s about scrubbing dirt and making sure the house doesn’t take on a particular smell like smoke or yesterday’s dinner. Smell is one of the greatest memory triggers, so it’s important to remain neutral – you want the buyer to imagine themselves living in your home. If it isn’t clean, you’re reducing your chances of a buyer deciding your house is the one, or, at the very least, get ready for some low ball offers!

#2 – No Clutter

Photo Courtesy of Arkansas Online

You’ve seen the show Hoarders, right? Well, your house probably isn’t that bad, but the general idea of de-cluttering is the same. Your home is a reflection of you and your family, so it makes sense to fill it with the things you love. Except, when your selling, it makes sense to remove those personal items so the next family can imagine it as their own.  Buyers are easily distracted and typically make decisions based on the “feel” of the home. Also, you want to make sure the rooms have flow to them. You may love a particular set up of your furniture, but try to imagine how a walkthrough of the home would go. If it doesn’t flow easily, a buyer will feel cramped and think the home is too small for their needs.

#3 – Paint Neutral

Photo Courtesy of Motley News

You love purple and neon green! Who doesn’t? Well, most buyers. When you’re listing your home, it’s important to recognize what you are selling and what you’re not. You’re not selling a piece of your history, but rather you are selling a product. If you have an extremely personalized product, you’re going to have a hard time finding that one person who the product is personalized for. However, if you have a generic product, you’re going to reach a lot more buyers and they have a blank slate to personalize it to their tastes. Think about this. When you see a home with floral wallpaper, do you not automatically think of Grandma’s house? You’ve just classified your house as a product for grandparents.

#4 – Make Necessary Repairs

Photo Courtesy of The Reaction

When a buyer walks through a home, they want to make sure it feels right and they look for flaws that will either give them a reason to reject your house or make a lower offer based on the amount of work needed. If you’re carpet is stained, make sure to either have it cleaned professional or replaced. If there are holes in walls or doors, get ‘em fixed! A lot of sellers would prefer to sell their home “as-is”, but they also want top dollar. Those two terms have no relation whatsoever! If you do everything you can to show your home in the best light, then you can ask for top dollar. If you just want a quick sale and move without any work, you won’t be able to demand the highest possible price.

These 4 Things Chehalis/Centralia area Sellers Ask and Buyer’s Expect are pretty typical everywhere, but in all things, consult with a local Realtor to find out what is expected in your area. Another good resource to make your house shine its best is to do a consultation with a local staging professional. If you are looking for a Realtor who provides Extraordinary Service and Extraordinary Results (as well as referrals to Extraordinary service providers), I just happen to know a guy!

Check out my 5-Star Zillow Reviews!