Step1
Home
• Home completely dusted
• Basic Furniture (away from the walls, float the furniture).
Inviting design with pieces facing each other.
• Display fire place.
• China hutches out if they take up too much space.
• Collections and valuables out. (Thieves to case real estate open houses).
• Religious material out. It can be a turn-off to potential buyers of another faith, or ethnicity.
• Blinds cleaned
• Dark Curtains taken out. Let in light as much as possible. If any draperies, they must be pristinely cleaned, and neutral in color.
• All lights in the house on.
Dining room
Do not set the table.
A neutral table runner, a beautiful bowl in the center, and votives are good. (Save the fresh-cut flowers for less predictable places).
A warm plate of cookies and self-service cocktail napkins a
re okay here too. (Just buy instant cookies that can be warmed up in the oven in a few minutes).
Bookcases are okay, clients like to see the dining room can be multi-purpose room.
A small desk is good, or shelving for books is good. Visible office supplies are bad, and personal journals, scrapbooks, diaries are not good.
Artwork in the dining room is okay, as long as it is not overwhelming for the space. A floor plant is a nice touch and current trend.
Take out the chandelier.
Recessed light, and updated wall sconces are the latest trend. In place of the chandelier a simplistic current candelabra is best.
In the dining room also, discuss or have a list including what the seller intends to include in the sale, and exclude.
The dining room table has historically been a great negotiating place.
Remove items you plan to take with you no matter what.
Step2
Bedrooms
Master
The master bedroom and bath need to display a restful retreat. Create a pampering feeling.
No clues of any sickness, or old age items. Any handi-capped features that are not nailed down, remove. Handi-capped features are a plus, but must be displayed as a feature and not overwhelm the space for those buyers who are not handicapped. People have a dislike for spaces where there have been illnesses.
No unsightly hampers, no dirty laundry.
• Beautifully made bed.
• Magazines removed.
• No cramping furniture.
• Plenty of natural light.
• Flowers go well in the bedrooms, and a cozy nook with a book is a great touch.
• No alarm clocks.
• No telephones.
Realtors should know target market for the area, and type of home.
No personal items, like trophies, ribbons, toys, etc – that are chipped or in disrepair.
Bedrooms
Empty all the rooms and start over. Think about really scripting the rooms for your ideal buyer.
Think of a nursery. If you had a baby now, what few items might you want? Items can be borrowed temporarily, or rented. Display a beautiful crib, with all the bedding, a rug, rocking chair with Teddy bear, pastel pictures and basket of favorite story books. Even a nice quilt or throw will warm up the room.
Think of a teen-ager’s wants and display a room with a simple bed, dresser, desk, and television unit. Do display a phone in the teen-ager’s room.
Rugs tie furniture together and make a room inviting.
Display homes best features by showing how they work
Put freshly folded towels in the elevator to show how it goes to the laundry and back, and hang a few outfits, on wooden or white hangers in the closet.
Paint
Color in rooms, soft blue, restful sage green.
Contrasting paint trim to accent any moldings.
Keep beds with mattresses in and dress up the beds with modern bedding.
Step3
Bathrooms
• No rugs.
• No toilet covers.
• Invest in brand new toilet seats.
• Nice new towels, Use White, Off-White, or Beige ONLY
• No personal items at all!
• Fix floors if needed.
• New caulking.
• No mold.
• Update hardware if needed.
• Highest watt bulbs or at least 60.
• Shower Curtains, just white/ off white canvas. Brand new.
• New shower head if needed, old fashioned is the trend.
• Fresh Flowers
• Bright, task lighting, sconce, natural light.
• No swag lighting.
• Paint colors to blend with tile.
Closets
• Re-paint in closets.
• No clutter, No sagging poles.
It is really valuable to insert new closet shelving and closet systems into older closets, because it shows that the house has been updated, and adds to the list price.
Take of closet doors, if rickety, put up tension rod & pretty neutral material.
• Clear out your storage.
• Make clothes hangers all white or wood and there should be room for two fingers between every item. Only nice shoes.
• Only a few sweaters and sweat shirts folded nicely on top.
Step4
Kitchen # 1 selling point on a house and where you get the biggest return for your money
• Counters Empty/ and sterile, except a charming plant, and display piece. No microwaves, blenders, mixers, etc.
• Cupboards organized.
• Completely cleaned top to bottom, and sanitized.
• Let light in, remove florescent lighting, and put in task lighting, recessed lighting, and under cabinet lighting.
• Update hardware.
• No magnets.
• No signs about bless the mess.
• Wallpaper out and bright, crisp, neutral color.
• Dark Cabinets painted lighter, neutral shade.
Heat and Serve Cinnamon Buns.
Garage/ Attic
• Remove lawn mower, and big equipment.
• No smells of gasoline, dust, oil, or insect pesticide products.
• Freshly painted, or completely cleaned corners and walls and floors. Organized. No junk, clutter, cramped spaces.
In the home
• Test every thing. No doors stick or squeak. All lights work.
• No rug lifting.
• No wood peeling.
• Fabrize everything.
• No traces of bugs or mice.
• No roach motels, or like items.
• Remove all religious items to appeal to all buyers.
• No pictures of birds.
REMOVE Valuables. Items can be stolen, and Realtors cannot watch all people during an open house.
Your Environment Creates Your Experience.
Enthusiast 
Comments
georgiarealtor said
on 5/21/2008 Great idea and pretty easy!