Wow!! You’ve had your home professionally staged and it looks beautiful. Now you are ready to put it on the market and start showing it… but the key for a quick sale at top dollar involves keeping it staged.
It is very important that you keep your property in the same condition in which your professional stager left it. The chair that is now in a new room may not be where you had used it, but your professional stager understands that the new placement is ideal for flow and balance, two things that help sell your home. Yes, you need to leave the family pictures packed in that box ready for your new home. No, you can’t put those 4 appliances back on the counter in the kitchen.
The placement of your furnishings and your accessories is crucial when your house is being shown. Your stager has been careful to ensure the proper flow, balance and feel for your home. He or she has prepared your house so buyers are able to mentally move into “their” new home. Do your very best to keep the furniture arrangements as they are. If you have to make a change, give your professional stager a call first. They will be able to meet your needs while still maintaining the proper flow and balance of the house.
It is also important for everyone in the home to follow these simple tips.
- Make your bed every morning (that means all beds). Put those designer pillows back in their proper place, or that fluffy throw back on the foot of the bed.
- Pick up and put away all belongings (everything in its place), hang up all your clothes and put all dirty clothes in a hamper or in the washing machine.
- Keep all toilet lids AND seats down, the sinks and faucets wiped clean and the shower neat and clean. (Remove all personal items from the shower when showing the house. Use a decorative basket under the sink for these items.)
- Keep your towels clean, neat and hung properly. (Hint, don’t use those nice, fancy towels that are hung for display. Leave those on display and use your everyday towels but roll them up after use and store them under the sinks in a wicker/decorative basket.)
- Make sure all crumbs, drips and spills are cleaned from counter tops and floors after meals. Ensure all dirty dishes are either washed and put away or placed in the dishwasher. Wipe the smudges off the refrigerator door and the front of the microwave oven.
- Open All drapes and turn All lights on when showing. Some stagers recommend you have FM radio with light music playing softly during showings.
- Keep all counter top items put away. If your stager had you remove appliances, go ahead and use them but make sure you put them away after every use.
- Keep all valuables and medications out of site. (Don’t keep medications where someone can easily remove them. Take your valuables to your safe deposit box. People are going to be looking in all your drawers, cabinets and cupboards. Don’t tempt them.)
- Try not to cook foods with odors that will linger
Remember this is temporary and it will be well worth your time and a little bit of inconvenience when your home sells quickly and for top dollar.