Keller Williams KC Metro - Warren Smith

6 Tips For Staging When Selling Real Estate


Here are several tips for staging and getting top dollar in the process.

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Real Estate agents and owners alike take many factors into consideration when wishing to sell a home, including where to advertise, whether to list with multiple agents, what and how much are similar homes priced in your area, setting a reasonable sales price, and enhancing the curb appeal of a house by getting rid of clutter and perhaps planting a few flowers or re-sodding part of the lawn.

One area that both agents and private sellers alike often overlook is house staging. Have you ever watched an episode of Million Dollar Listing where top real estate agents sell million dollar properties? The agents never show a home naked; they are willing to spend top dollar to private staging agents to ensure the home looks inviting.

It’s not necessary to spend thousands of dollars to decorate a house before selling, but keep in mind that statistics show the selling price of a house increases by as much as 6-20 percent, merely through staging. That said, here are several tips for staging and getting top dollar in the process:

Tips to look for when staging

Real estate agents report that women, overwhelmingly influence whether a couple buys or not. So a few things to have when staging include:

1. Having a nice looking refrigerator in the kitchen. If there is an old fridge or no fridge at all, the kitchen just looks naked. You can rent one for a few dollars per week.

2. Have an area rug, a nice couch, a couple of ferns and lamps, and perhaps a classy, framed portrait in the living room. The living room should look comfy and inviting. Even though it’s not part of the home, consider relocating or renting a large screen television to cap up the look and feel. The look to go for is light and bright.

3. Have a bed with a classy comforter, an easy chair, a quality lamp and another framed portrait in the master bedroom. Here too, consider adding a couple of houseplants. Decorating every bedroom is not necessary if expenses are a factor, but at least the master bedroom should be extremely inviting. Consider, at a minimum, at least area rugs and a couple of portraits for the other bedrooms.

4. Decorate the bathrooms. It typically takes less than $25 to decorate a bathroom, and the impact plays big on certain clients sensibilities.

5. If there is a swimming pool or backyard barbecue, stage it as well. A barbecue set and a decorated table with chairs, or a pool surrounded by a couple of umbrellas and some deck chairs help transform a house into a potential home. Try, as far as possible to get people to see in their minds, the advantages of living there.

6. Consider removing any inessential furniture. You may love that classic, lived-in lounger, but chances are your potential buyers may not. You can update a room, and make it look larger, but adding a few key pieces and removing the rest.

Home staging makes good sense. It can attract more offers, and at a higher average price. So consider it when selling a house.

For more information about how staging can increase your home’s sales price, contact me & put my experience to work for you!

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