Sold Starts Here - Staging Guide

S O L D S T A R T S H E R E

S T A G I N G G U I D E

Appeal to the greatest number of buyers with my top 10 home-staging tips.

Wh y W e S t a g e

The way we l i ve in homes i s very di f ferent f rom how we market homes . For sel lers , the process can be inconvenient and uncomfor table . Focus ing on the goal makes i t much eas ier . We want to sel l your proper ty faster than the compet i t ion, for the highest poss ible amount and best terms . Yes !

Staging i s not decorat ing . I t ' s st rategi c and solut ion-or iented market ing. Here are two, perhaps surpr i s ing, facts .

1 . 90% of homebuyers can not imagine a house di f ferent ly than they see i t . 2 . Emot ion dr i ves approx imately 95% of al l buy ing dec i s ions . So let ' s not leave anything to the imaginat ion and work to create a pos i t i ve emot ional connect ion for prospect i ve buyers . Think of spaces wi th broad appeal , such as model homes and 5-star hotel s . They are inv i t ing, clean, unclut tered, and styl i sh . There are no personal i tems . I f you check into a room at the Hi l ton, do you want to think about who was in the hotel room before you and what they were doing? Thi s i s no di f ferent . You don ’ t want buyers to see your toothbrush . You want them to env i s ion themselves in the house – not you . Thi s i s equal ly impor tant for l i st ing photography and dur ing showings . Let ' s get s tarted!

T H E B A S I C S

Add Visual Square Footage

Remove furniture that is too large for the space and unnecessary accent furniture. Don't wait until you're moving to sell or donate. If you're keeping the item(s), opt for storage.

Deep Clean

Give your home the deepest clean top to bottom, including windows. Remove tattered screens. Re-grout and caulk where needed in baths. Dust vents and change air filters. Shampoo carpets. Don’t forget your refrigerator and oven. Yes, buyers will look in there. Eliminate odors with air purifiers or by resolving issues. Room sprays and candles can trigger allergies and asthma.

Create Curb Appeal

First impressions are key. Power wash the house exterior. Spruce up the landscaping by weeding and adding fresh flowers. Keep the lawn mowed, edged, and watered. Prune dead branches and remove dead plants. Paint the front door and flank it with beautiful planters to invite buyers in. Put out the welcome mat - literally!

The most impactful way to create an intentionally designed look is to create a decorating color palette and stick with it. Choose a fabulous piece of artwork, area rug, or fabric with multiple colors to establish the perfect color palette. Simply pick up two or three colo]rs from the pattern and repeat. Then repeat them again in adjacent rooms for flow. 1 Create an Intentional Color Palette TIP #1

E D I T . . . E D I T . . . E D I T . . . It's tempting to stash excess in closets and cabinets, but buyers will open these. Organized and spacious storage areas are a big selling feature. 2 T I P # personal photos monogrammed decor paperwork, magazines, mail, calendars personal care products (stash in a bath caddy) kid and pet toys knick knacks II know you’ve heard it before, but it really is important to declutter. Create inviting comfortable spaces by eliminating the following visual distractions.

3 Add a little BLING T I P # 3

One special high-end piece can elevate any room. Often, it’s a light fixture or a striking piece of art. This simple white dining room below comes to life with a glamorous and current brass chandelier. Or it could be the perfect antique mirror for over the mantel or that stylish dining table. Choose one key element that brings in some bling to create an elevated look in each room.

4 C R E A T E A T MO S P H E R E W I T H L I G H T I N G TIP #4

I can’t emphasize this enough. Light is critical. Good lighting creates a positive and inviting experience for potential buyers. Most homes do not have enough. Add lamps and update light fixtures if you invest nothing else in staging your home. To add more lamps to a room, consider where you might add a table or surface to put them on. Maybe you need a slim sofa table, a credenza on a blank wall, or larger end tables to accommodate more lamps. Wall sconces and floor lamps are good too.

WH A T A B O U T B U L B S ? As it turns out, many of our homes are improperly lighted. To remedy the problem, increase the wattage in your lamps and fixtures. Aim for a total of 100 watts of WARM color temperature (not cool) lighting for each 50 square feet. Don't depend on just one or two fixtures per room, either. Make sure you have three types of lighting: ambient (general or overhead), task (pendant, under-cabinet or reading) and accent (table and wall).

5 Paint is the easiest way to make a house feel bright, clean, cohesive, and fresh. Paint can also make a small room appear larger if it's the same color as the adjacent room. Painting

T I P # 5

A new neutral color can help tone down any dated finishes in the space. Ask your realtor or an interior designer for recommendations.

Paint makes a big impact and is worth the investment.

6 TIP #6

A D D S OM E S P A R K L E

Every room needs a little sparkle. Reflective surfaces add and amplify light, they bring a sense of glamour, and most often, they are less visually heavy than more solid materials.

A glass coffee table is always a good idea.

You can place a mirror anywhere, try a large one leaning against a wall to reflect some light and expand the view. Mirrors and lighting go hand-in-hand, as a few strategically placed mirrors, paired with the perfect lighting, can create the illusion that your space is far larger than it actually is. Simply hang your mirror across a lighting source, like a window or lamp light, to create this illusion.

7 Pops of Art Work T I P # 7

Every room needs a focal point. A large scale piece of art or a well-designed gallery wall will instantly inject personality into any room. Art can also set the palette. This is what gives a room identity. Mousy little drab pictures won’t accomplish this. It’s best to go bold with it.

8 U P G R A D I N G A N D S T E A M I N G Y O U R W I N D OW C O V E R I N G S You can make any drapes or curtains look more expensive by simply hanging them correctly and adding extra panels to make them look fuller and more luxurious. Place your curtain rod high, close to the ceiling to maximize height, and wide enough that the drapes can be gathered mostly to the outside of the window frame. This will make the window look larger. Get at least 2 or 3 panels for each side of a large window to look nice and full. Curtain rings and a pretty rod will make big box store curtain look high-end. If window treatments are dark, heavy, or dated, it's best to remove them. T I P # 8

H I G H - E N D T I P Make sure your window coverings look clean and crisp. You can machine wash most curtains and lightly dry them, if they have wrinkles, make sure you either iorn or steam them!

9 Rethink TIP #9

Furniture Groupings

There's a common belief that rooms will feel larger and be easier to use if all the furniture is pushed against the walls, but that isn't the case. Instead, furnish your space by floating furniture away from walls. Reposition sofas and chairs into cozy conversational groups, and place pieces so that the traffic flow in a room is obvious. Not only will this make the space more user-friendly, but it will open up the room and make it seem larger.

10 Add spa touches In bathrooms. Fresh bars of soap, neatly folded fluffy towels, fresh flowers, pristine white bath rugs (or none), and new shower curtains. TIP #10 S T Y L E A N D A C C E S S O R I Z E

Create an aspirational setting. Here are some ideas.

Place fresh fruit in a bowl in the kitchen. Leave wrapped granola bars and bottled water on a tray for buyers.

Bring life to your home with indoor and outdoor potted plants and flowers.

Create a chic coffee table. Store remotes in a decorative box. Stack coffee table books specific to the region.

Don't forget to style outdoor furniture with pillows and throws. Use outdoor rugs to delineate seating areas on porches and patios. Create lifestyle vignettes. Lean a bicycle with a basket near the garage. Prop a fishing rod on the back porch view. You get the idea.

A B O U T S U S A N

Susan Matthews is a certified luxury home marketing specialist and a home staging expert. She is the principal of The Matthews Group, LLC, a real estate team with Coldwell Banker Global Luxury based in Charleston, SC. Her advice has been quoted in Realtor.com, The Nest, ApartmentTherapy.com, Beautiful Homes and Gardens, The Post & Courier, U.S. News & World Report, and others.

Susan is an on-air guest host for QVC - the home shopping network - specializing in home decor.

Charleston Realtor of Distinction | East Cooper Top Producer Coldwell Banker International President's Circle

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