T
he home selling business is hard work for both sellers and their agents. Not only do you need to stage your home, clean the exterior for curb appeal, fix all the items that need repairing, you also need to make sure the home is in tip top shape for home photos. We have a great “photo staging” guide for you with helpful tips.
1. First things first. DE-CLUTTER your home. This does not mean that you need to go to drastic measures like seen on HGTV and take every family photo off the wall and mantle, however taking 75% of them down will help. Also, make sure that kitchen areas are tidy and free of clutter and extra countertop appliances are put away. All rooms should be free of toys, loose laundry and personal items.
2. Clean your floors, all of them. This means if your carpet is dirty, get it cleaned. If the carpet needs to be stretched, do it. Grout on tile floors can easily be brightened up and hardwoods either need refinishing or a good coat of wax.
3. Touch up wall paint, cabinetry and trim. Believe it or not little things like paint chips or scuffs on the walls, baseboards and window trim show up in photos. Make sure when touching up wall paint that it blends well. You should use long “X” strokes instead of just blotting the paint to cover the spot.
4. Keep furniture to a minimum. Storing your extra furniture off site to open up the space for clear walking paths and room flow helps not only for photos but for showing and open houses as well.
5. Last but not least, hire a professional to help if you are having a hard time coming up with ideas or just don’t have the time. Ask Debi Murray about staging photos for your home.
HBA Home Pro Tip brought to you by Debi Murray – Murney Associates Realtors