Home Staging for a More Successful Sale; Eliminate Negatives

A March 2012 artile in Zillow's Blog published by "Inman News" on line offered home stagers' suggestions for what is seen as negatives to a successful sale of homes. Think about these items as you prepare your home for viewing so that negatives will not distract from the better features your home enjoys.

1. Fake plants. While some artificial plants look more real than others, most becomeo dust collectors over time. Living plants often cost less than fake ones and usually improve air quality rather than adding allergens.

2. Clutter. Clutter prevents buyers from seeing the character of a room and make rooms feel smaller. Group like items, and think of what you really need to keep. Could Goodwill or the Salvation Army use your clutter more than you?

3. Unmade beds and dirty windows. Remember that clean windows and made beds show better than sticky fingerprints and piles of bedcovers.

4. Wood paneled walls. Consider painting as one of the least expensive ways to update your home, especially if you are willing to properly prepare the room and put careful labor to bringhten up those dark, paneled walls.

5. Overly full kitchen cabinets. Clean out your kitchen cabinets from unneeded, unmatched items. Too many storage containers without matching lids, old empty coffee cans and similar items distract from the room and make the cabinet space appear too small.

6. Too many pet reminders. Some buyers like pets and others do not. Even if your pets are put away for home viewings, keep only the most needed pet items out. Put away other items to keep your home tidy. A neat food and water dish with no stray spills or scattered food on the floor is more impresseive than a mess. Lots of pet toys, pet blankets, and fur all over the furniture detract from the beauty of your home.

A home that appears "move in ready" and invites you into the room is more successful in keeping a buyer's interest than one that is cluttered, messy or dated. Use these simple tips from home stagers to prepare your home for viewings, to show off the features of your home, and to make the rooms and cabinets appear more spacious.