About one in 10 of the sellers we surveyed said they wished they had made more cosmetic changes to their home before putting it on the market. Even more of those who sold their homes for significantly less than the original asking price expressed that regret.
Perhaps not surprisingly, there’s a whole profession devoted to sprucing up homes. Professional stagers, as they’re called, can transform your home to make it more visually appealing to a broader range of buyers and, ideally, sell more quickly. Here are some tips from professional stagers on what you can do on your own, and how to hire a pro if you’d prefer:
Clear out clutter. Get rid of (or at least store) everything that’s not necessary for living comfortably from day to day. That includes your collections of national-landmark spoons and “Star Wars” action figures. Take the pictures off the fridge. Sweep the piles of papers off your desk. You want potential buyers to be able to see the home, not your stuff. Homes look bigger and more stylish without clutter. But don’t take it to an extreme; empty rooms are rarely as appealing as tastefully furnished ones.
Make it shine. Because so many perfectly polished homes will be on the market, your place should be scrubbed too. Clean everything from the bulbs in your light fixtures to the furnace and water heater. Cleaning makes older appliances look a little less dated. Replace worn carpet and polish wood floors. Consider removing curtains or other heavy window coverings to make the room look more open (especially if you have nice views). Get rid of pet smells too. Give rooms that need it a fresh coat of paint, and tone down bright colors. Every wall doesn’t have to be beige, but remember, you want to appeal to the greatest number of buyers.
Move around the stuff that’s left. Arrange your furniture to highlight focal points like fireplaces. Try to set up a few conversation areas in larger rooms to emphasize their spaciousness.
Or hire a pro. A two-hour consultation with a professional stager will run about $300. A full staging, which includes renting any needed furniture and accessories, can run from $500 to $5,000. You can search for a stager on the Web site of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals:
www.iahsp.com/membersearch.php.
What’s more, you can write off their fees (but not the paint, furniture, or storage unit they suggest you buy). Home staging is considered an "advertising fee" and can be subtracted from any gain on the sale of your home, along with agents’ commissions and legal fees. from Consumer Reports.org