Staging Your Home - Step 1

Does your home have Curb Appeal?

One of the most effective and inexpensive tools in today’s Real Estate market is "staging" your house.  It doesn’t matter how hard your sales agent works to bring buyers to your home, if your house does not look like the dream home they imagined, they simply won’t buy it.




“Staging” means furnishing, decorating, outdoor clean-ups and ultimately arranging homes in such a way to attract increased buyer interest


A recent national survey indicated that staged homes sold on average in 13.8 days, while non-staged homes sold in 30.9 days.  That’s a difference of a mortgage payment!  Starting with the curb appeal, the buyer looks at your home and considers the value weighed by the amount of work or maintenance they will need to apply to the property, once they own it.  The percentage of list versus sale price is another strong reason to favour staging your home.  In the next few blog posts we will address many areas of a home that can be staged on a minimal budget with maximum results.  Today let’s review some quick tips for improving curb appeal, the first in-person impression a buyer will have:


•Your flowerbeds should be turned, weed free, and properly edged.  Mulch is usually a great addition to a flower bed.  All hedges should be evenly trimmed and the lawn regularly maintained.  If you’re not into gardening, paying for a quick landscaping job might be well worth the investment.


•Check to make sure all outdoor lighting is in good working order. Consider leaving them on slightly longer than normal to encourage potential ‘drive-by’ viewings from interested buyers during the evening hours.


•Ensure your front entryway is presentable. A great exterior accent piece is a freshly painted front door, which, when combined with a few seasonal potted plants, will create a more welcoming entranceway for prospective buyers.


•Polish the front doorknob or handle and replace a dented or tarnished mailbox and door mat. Make sure your home address numbers can be easily seen from the street to facilitate potential viewings.


•Check if your aluminum siding or brickwork needs washing or your gutters need cleaning. If dead leaves are spilling over from your eaves troughs, buyers tend to get a negative impression.


•If you have a wood deck, make sure the stain or paint looks fresh.  Good-looking patio furniture will contribute to the look of the backyard. 


•Clean up yard clutter and put away the kids’ outdoor toys to help enhance the size of your yard.


•A free consultation is always provided when you ask to meet with a Signature Service Real Estate Professional about selling your house.