(Originally posted on my old blog on September 4th, 2015)

As a follow up to the “Home Improvement Projects” post, you should not dump money into your home and then stop there! You could waste money if you do not, what we in the real estate industry call, “stage” your property. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, homes in “Good” or “Excellent” condition sold for an average of 96% of the listed or asking price. However, homes in “Better” condition sold for an average of 92% of the listed price. That is a 4% difference, which does not sound like a lot, but let us look it that a bit closer. On a $180,000 home, which is the current average in the Central Florida, Lake County, Clermont area, 4% is ($180,000 x .04 =) $7,200! So, if you are thinking about moving, and you want to sell your home, read below for tips on how to command higher bids on the sale of your house and make $7,200 or more!

First, the cost – we all know there is no such thing as a free lunch right? So what is it going to cost you to make that $7,200? According to the National Association of REALTORS®, the median amount spent on staging a home in today’s real estate market is $675. Spend $675, to make $7,200? Yes please! Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression! Present your homes best face to the market with the following 9 points.

One – Your real estate agent should provide a checklist to you that will help guide you in preparing your home for sale. Here is an “Insiders Secret” – how you perform on your checklist, or any of your paperwork, tells the agent how serious you are about selling. Should this effect the service they provide you? No, it should not… but that does not mean it will not. Take the time to do your part in preparing your home for sale including all the paperwork and chores, and more real estate agents will go the extra mile to help when and where they can.

Two – Stay spotless! Adopt your moms OCD for cleanliness and pretend you have an infant in the house that will eat anything small enough, and lick everything else in sight. Keep in mind, at least in today’s real estate market and depending on the price range of your home, many homes are selling in less than a month, and some in a matter of days! Commit to keeping your house picture perfect until it sells – if priced correctly for your market (another article all together!) it will not take long. In the Central Florida, Lake County area, a large portion sold in less than 30 days!

Three – Remember everyone is different, so you have to appeal to all senses – just because you are ok with the odor from that turtle tank or fish tank does not mean your buyers will be. Smell is probably one of the first things that will make a potential buyer walk. It is impossible to appease everyone, some people like the smell of food such as baked bread, or the fragrance of flowers. Others prefer candy scents, and still others enjoy the aroma of fruit. Air fresheners, warmers, and even scented air conditioner filters can help keep a home the most appealing to the most buyers. I personally have found the delectable scent of sugar cookie, being what I believe to be a cross between food and candy, the most enticing.

Four – Make the house more spacious by eliminating clutter. Look in garages, closets, cabinets, bookshelves and countertops. Less is more in this case, and even includes furniture! Many homes have “too much” sitting space in the living room – we do this because it is comfortable, and when we have guests we want to provide options for them to relax. You may need to take that extra recliner or loveseat out in order to make the room seem bigger. You can put it back out in your next home!

Five – Make the front doorway inviting. This was actually one of Jacque (my assistant) and I’s first “Ah ha!” moments. We were in a class, learning how to be the best real estate agents possible (cheap advertisement!), and this particular lesson mentioned that buyers would often stand outside the home for a few minutes while the real estate agent fiddled with the lockbox and they waited to enter the home. The buyers get an extra few moments to notice their surroundings, and they do! As we are hearing the instructor talk about how important the entrance to the home is, I am shaking my head thinking to myself “Who decides whether or not to buy a home based on a front door?” and Jacque looks at me and explains how accurate the instructor is! Just a couple of days prior, as we show a home to a client, and I am fiddling with a lockbox, oblivious to everything else except getting that key so I could get out of the hot Central Florida sun, she is telling me the client and her experience. She is standing there looking around, with the client, and they notice the chipped paint on the door and door jam, dirt from an overturned potted plant, cobwebs, trash in the bushes next to us, and how the house could have used a good pressure wash. I now realize those first couple of minutes could make or break one home from another, so do yourself a favor and make that entryway immaculate!

Six – Remove personal effects such as pictures, drawings, and other family memorabilia. The goal when you want to sell a home is to make the house feel like a model home, so that buyers can picture their own family there. It is much more difficult for them to envision their pictures on the walls and children running around playing, if your family is plastered all over the walls, and your kids crayon art is stuck to the refrigerator. If you are serious about selling your home, do yourself a favor and take that first step; pack up all of the personal items.

Seven – The best homes are the brighter homes. Dark and shady rooms can sooth and relax, but when families want to buy a house, that is an exciting time for them. You need to match that enthusiasm. Replace light bulbs with the safest and brightest, not necessarily highest wattage. I prefer Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL), though some people feel these are too harsh. You also need to trim back hedges or shrubs to let more light in the windows, and keep blinds and curtains open. If you read my previous article and replaced your windows with no money down, then you can let the sun brighten a room and still keep the heat outside!

Eight – Curb appeal means keeping the lawn mowed and hedges trimmed at all times. Improving landscaping is one of the most inexpensive ways to dramatically improve the appeal of a home. If you are anything like me and have zero clue about plants and shrubbery, make a smart investment in a landscaper and/or professional home stager.

Nine – Pay special attention to the areas of the home that will influence buyers the most. As mentioned previously, the entryway will serve as the first impression, so make sure to pay special attention there. Polling real estate agents and research shows the master bedroom, the master bathroom, and the kitchen have the greatest impact on buyers.

Remember, homes in “Good” or “Excellent” condition sold for an average of 4% more of the listed or asking price. In my market, which is the Central Florida, Lake County, Clermont area, 4% is $7,200! So, if you are thinking about moving, and you want to sell your home, use these tips to command higher bids on the sale of your house and make $7,200 or more!

Source: “2015 Profile of Home Staging”, http://www.realtor.org/reports/2015-profile-of-home-staging

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