As a home stager, one of the primary goals you have is to make each client’s home feel welcoming. You want prospective buyers to feel comfortable and “at home”. When the home feels welcoming, it’s easy for the buyer to envision living there. On the other hand, a home that feels sterile and cold will subconsciously repel the buyer.
Here are four tips to keep in mind:
1) Smell matters. Smell is one of the first things a buyer will notice upon entering , whether they realize it or not. If the property smells dirty, musty, smoky, or even too much like the family dog, it’s going to make a negative impression. Air fresheners, candles are not encouraged by stagers so opening the windows is a great way to create an appealing aroma.
2) Choose neutral colors and furnishings. The objective shouldn’t be to stage a dramatic layout, like what you’d see on a TV set or in a movie. Instead, keep the colors meutral and the layout must maximize flow. Neutral colors and furnishings allow your potential buyers to envision their furniture and their colors… and that’s the goal!
3) Offer a snack and something to drink. Providing light refreshments is a great way to make your buyer feel welcome; eating and drinking in the kitchen will make it even easier for people to imagine living in the home. Don’t fake the feelings in a house though by baking- it only sends a message of duplicity, as in what smell are you trying to hide.
4) Clean is good… sterile is not! It is important that the house is clean and orderly. But you also don’t want it to feel like a hospital. Spraying the home down with bleach immediately before the buyer arrives for a meeting won’t help your cause! CSP International™ Academy supports and encourages use of Shaklee “Get Clean” Products. www.followourleed.myshaklee.com proceeds from sales support Women To Women International
At the end of the day, one of the most important things you can do as a home stager is to make the property feel welcoming. These tips will help—contact me today to learn how the CSP® proprietyr 8-7-6-5 process builds a better showcased property!
