All the Word’s a Stage and We Are Merely Players

         

             You want your home to sell.  You have had a few showings but no bites yet.  The buyers are just not that interested in your home and you don’t know why.  What you need to do is get a new set of eyes, in other words a second opinion about how your home reads to potential buyers.  Sure, you could hire a professional staging company and have them set up your home so that it is picture perfect.   Unfortunately, not every one can afford to dole out the money for a professional stager, but that doesn’t mean your can’t take some of their basic advice.  Most stagers recommend have family, friends, or neighbors come by your home and really look at it like a prospective buyer.  They can make suggestions to you about things you may have overlooked or never even thought could be a turnoff to some buyers.  There are other things you can do to make the buyers more interested in your home. 

            If you are staging your home yourself, there are a few basic tips that will make you an old pro before you know it.  First and foremost, you need to remove the clutter.  Buyers want to see how their own stuff will look in the home and can be distracted by too many personal knickknacks peppered throughout the house.  They may miss the beautiful mantle piece or custom shelving if they are covered in for example, your ceramic cat collection.  After decluttering, it is time to clean and reorganize all that was left behind.  Don’t forget to organize your cabinets and closets.  If your house is listed as a three-bedroom home, make sure the rooms really reflect that.  If you have a hobby room, office, or full gym in the guest bedroom, stage the room as it was originally designed to be.   Also, when staging your home yourself, don’t forget to create ambiance.  You want to make your home feel inviting and comfortable, so pay attention to the feel of each room.  Make sure lighting, furniture, and any decor make the prospective buyers feel warm and cozy and it will make them feel like they are home.  If all the world’s a stage, why not dress yours so that even the most discerning buyer can the its true potential.