So you are planning to sell your house and you’ve heard you need to stage it. You are probably wondering, what does that mean and have lots of questions. I want you to forget everything you ever thought you knew about staging and remember the two most important aspects of staging: 1) compelling marketing photos, and 2) having buyers fall in love with you house when they see it.

What are compelling marketing photos? These are the photos of your house that go out on the MLS.  According to the National Association of Realtors, over 90% of home buyers start their search on-line. Of those 90%, they look at an average 11 listings prior to taking any action. The better your photos are, the better your on-line presence is; and, therefore, the more listing appointments you’ll get. Go to Realtor.com and look at the homes for sale in your neighborhood and price point. How does your house look in comparison? Does it stand out above the competition?

After getting buyers to take action to see your property, we need them to fall in love with it in person. Staging is all about the buyer and making them feel at-home in your space, with your things. It is not about showing off your decor, but rather about showing off your house. Your accessories and furniture should highlight the physical features of your home and actually work for you (even making you money).

How do you make your things work for you? Here are a few tips to get your started:

1. Clear the clutter and anything smaller than a softball. Small items that are beautiful in person, tend to photograph as clutter.
2. Furniture arrangement is key. Does it show how a space can be used? Ask yourself if it makes your room look too big or too small.
3. Remove personal items that tell your story: family photos, initials, & personal collections, just to name a few.
4. Keep the colors neutral. Sorry, just because your favorite color is purple, doesn’t mean it’s the buyer’s favorite color too.
5. Let the light in. Open your blinds, use white accessoires (it adds brightness and photographs well), and consider changing out light bulbs to 60W LED soft white bulbs.

Finally, when it doubt, hire a professional. For the cost of a couple of meals out, or a few new pairs of shoes, or even a week’s worth of groceries, you can have a professional come and take you through each room and help you squeeze out every dollar of equity hidden throughout your house, by giving you a plan to present your house to the market at it’s very best!