When it comes to preparing your home for sale or home staging, its paramount to understand is it's not about you and what you like. That may sound harsh but don't be offended. The goal of home staging is the same as yours, to sell your house as fast as possible and for the most money.

Staging to Sell

When staging a house the goal is to set the décor and layout to appeal to the widest variety of buyers as possible. So you may be into art deco or Asian-inspired style still, if those designs turn off even one buyer then it is not worth keeping. Clients often hear some hard truths about what needs to be done in their home to facilitate the sale. However, when the property gets multiple offers and a bidding war ensues they don't seem to mind the tough love.

Here are some practical tips you can use when going through the pre-listing phase of selling your house.

1) Staged Houses Look BIGGER Than Empty Houses

Although this may sound counter intuitive, it is the truth. Countless arguments have ensued over this very issue between  home stagers, agents and sellers. No matter what opinion one may hold on to like, a life preserver when floating lost at sea, science and the human brain support this assertion.

Studies have proven the eye and brain are wired to see the first 'obstacle' it can pick up when entering a room, this is for protection. Your brain wants to keep you from tripping so if the first thing you see is the far wall when you walk into a property your brain will actually pull that wall closer to you. Now, if you see a chair, then a coffee table, then couch...your brain is telling you that room is bigger than it really is because it is seeing the space in steps. Also, having a stylishly decorated room removes the 'no vision buyer' objection of thinking their couch won't fit (or bed if it's the bedroom). Staging works so well because it works on a psychological level.

2) Take Down The Family Photos

Again this may come across harsh and we can all appreciate the love of family still, buyers have a really hard time seeing themselves in someone else's home. The trick is to get prospective buyers to picture their life there  By removing your familiar faces that are everywhere and replacing them with more generic art the buyers have an easier time picturing themselves living there and enjoying the space with their familiar faces.

3) Cater To Grown Ups In The Room

Focus on staging and decorating the areas the ADULTS will use the most. Be honest...who is signing on the dotted line when they buy, the adults. 2^Nd and 3^rd bedrooms are viewed as commodities for most parents. They just want to make sure there is a closet for the kids stuff and that the door closes. When you are staging to sell spend the money where you get the most bang for your buck...that is the living spaces, dining spaces, master bedroom and bathrooms.

4) Negative Space Is Magical with Prospective Buyers

When staging the kitchen, bathrooms and even shelf units it’s OK to leave some open spaces. It is funny how some homeowners (designers too) think that there has to be some piece of décor every 8 inches. It drives me crazy! Just like you should group your furniture (you don't put one piece of furniture every 3 feet throughout the house) it makes sense to group the décor on counter tops as well. Leave large areas of countertop open to show how much space is still available. If there is something every 8 inches buyers will think the space is too crowded.

5) Accessories Pillows and Art Make the Stage

This touches on the psychological benefits of staging again. When a potential buyer walks into your property you want them to see the dream. Candles, vases, extra pillows on the couch and beds, ironed towels in the bathrooms, center pieces on the tables and matching art throughout...basically we want it to look like we tore a page out of a design magazine and replicated that look in your property. In this case the brain wants what it wants so paint that picture for the buyer. Forget that once they buy the home, move in and life takes over it will NEVER look like that again.

Thinking of selling your home? While these steps should be heeded when preparing your home for sale, the first steps in the process are finding a Professional Realtor and Knowing Your Home’s Value. Lenora Lostaunau, MA in Marketing & REALTOR can help you lead you through the sale of your home from helping you getting it ready to sell to singing settlement documents. Contact her today to see how she can maximize your profits in the sale of your home.

Article by Guest Blogger: Scott Sorensen of Stage Your Home San Diego

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