Home Staging Tips:

If you are a “do-it-yourselfer” and plan on selling your home soon, here are a few general tips to get you started:

• Open the drapes and blinds. Sunshine is the world's best decorator!
• Wash the windows – inside and out. For the same reasons as above, no other small improvement will give you more bang than this.
• Clean up the yard. Cut back overgrown shrubs. Mow the grass. Rake or pick up downed leaves, needles, and branches. Put away lawn tools, kids' toys and discard or store furniture that is rusty or ragged. If season and funds permit, put down some colorful annuals and/or put a few nicely planted containers on or near the front door.
• De-clutter and organize your home. You have heard this a thousand times, but it cannot be stressed enough how important this is when selling your home.
• Clean your kitchen and bathrooms. Scrub like crazy! The kitchen and bath may be old, but it can still sparkle. Wash the front of the cupboards and appliances and keep floor swept and scrubbed for the life of the listing. And, please remember to clear that refrigerator door!
• Clean carpets and/or replace old carpeting. If carpeting is noticeably worn, many buyers will pass a home by because that first impression was not positive. In most cases, the investment in cleaning or even in purchasing new carpeting is well worth the cost when it is made back with a quick sell.
• Refinish hardwood floors. These are a major selling point and sometimes a home's most compelling feature. Make sure that floor shines!
• Paint / Repaint your home. Always remember, neutral colors are best for marketing you house.
• Buy, borrow or rent what you need. If your furniture is worn, do what is necessary to replace it (even if temporary) in order to make that first impression one that will "wow" any potential buyer and make your home stand out from the rest!