“Staging” is a term used in the real estate industry to describe the process of preparing a home to sell for the best price and in the shortest amount of time.   

While some principles of staging are part of the actions many Cape Haze and Englewood area home owners complete in preparing their house or condominium for sale, staging as a formal process has not been used extensively in our area.  It is, however, widely used in many parts of the country and studies have shown that it does help homes sell closer to their listing prices and in less time.  

So, what’s involved in staging your home?  We can logically divide the actions involved into two overlapping phases:

• Staging Phase 1:  Clean It Up
   

• Staging Phase 2:  Set the Stage 

Staging Phase 1: Clean It Up

The “clean it up” phase involves actions that many homeowners can undertake without help from a staging professional.  This phase involves both physically cleaning your home and visually simplifying it by reducing clutter.   

The clean-up starts on the outside where potential buyers will be getting the first impression of your home.  The exterior checklist shown below gives you some key areas to consider as you prepare your home’s yard and exterior.  A clean, sound roof and strong “curb appeal” go a long way toward creating a positive first impression for your home. 

As the buyers tour the interior of your home, you want to make them comfortable that the home is well-maintained and minimize distractions that will keep them from focusing on the house itself.  The interior checklist shown below provides suggestions on what’s involved here.  By either doing your own “deep cleaning” or hiring a cleaning firm to help, your bathrooms, kitchen and floors should all sparkle when  potential buyers arrive.  

For most sellers, the hardest aspect of this phase is reducing clutter.  All of us are different in how much we have accumulated in our homes, but some experts suggest that a good rule of thumb is to remove 50% of the items in each room and one-third of the clothes and boxes in each closet.  Since you’ll be moving anyway, it’s much better to get rid of things early by holding a yard sale, packing personal collections up and moving them to storage, or giving unused items to charities. 

Staging Phase 2:  Set the Stage

Phase 2 is the set of actions that literally “set the stage” to help the buyers visualize how they might live in your home.  While a staging professional can provide helpful suggestions for the clean-up phase, “setting the stage” is the phase where the specialist often provides unique ideas and value.  Think about the way a builder’s model home looks when you walk-in.  The furniture is tastefully placed and blended.  Fresh flowers may be on the dining table and a bottle of wine and wine glasses may be set out on the kitchen counter.  Lighting is set to highlight each room and your eyes are drawn to the home’s best amenities and views.   

Many things a staging professional proposes can be done at little or no additional cost to the seller.  Other recommendations can be more involved and it is always the seller’s choice whether to implement the stager’s suggestions.  

Staging Services for Pam Neer’s Clients

As part of my home listing services, at no charge to you, I am pleased to offer all of my listing clients the option of either a staging assessment from an accredited staging professional or a basic home warranty. As we work together on preparing your home for sale, we'll discuss which of these alternatives is better for your unique situation.  

If we decide to use a staging assessment, the staging representative will visit your house or condominium and you will receive a detailed checklist of recommended staging actions for your specific property.  Together, we will review the checklist, discuss any costs involved, and determine which items you choose to implement.  If needed, I can provide you with names of local home repair experts and the staging firm can provide design services. 

Staging your home is a smart competitive tool and part of my overall marketing program to sell your property.  If you are considering selling, please give me a call at 941-830-0999.  I’ll be happy to provide a Market Analysis for your property, tell you more about my comprehensive marketing program, and connect you with recent clients who can describe my unique personalized selling approach!