How to Stage Your For Sale By Owner Real Estate Listing

If you have decided to sell your home as a For Sale By Owner listing, you will save by not paying a real estate agent fee; however, you also will not benefit from their expertise in preparing your home to show well at an open house. You can stage your own home, though, and make it a "must have" property to potential home buyers by following these tips.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Examine your home and write down anything that needs to be fixed or cleaned in your notebook. Start by standing on the curb in front of the home and imagine you are seeing the house for the first time. Is the front porch clean and free of clutter and debris? Does the front door have chipped paint and smudges? The front door area is very important as it gives the potential buyer a first and lasting impression. Write down any areas that need to be addressed. Proceed from room to room with notebook in hand, noting areas that need to be cleaned or repaired.
2. Remove all personal items and photographs from the home. Pack these and place in storage. The potential home buyer needs to be able to imagine himself living in the home and cannot do this if personal items abound. Clear off all counter tops in bathrooms and kitchen and make sure they are sparkling clean. Clear clutter off of all tabletops and shelves and only leave a few decorative pieces. Pack most of your books and magazines and only leave 1 or 2 decorative “coffee table” books for display.
3. Examine furniture arrangement in each room. Rearrange furniture so that it is not pushed against the wall but so that it is more in the center of the rooms. Make sure all carpets are cleaned. Remove scatter rugs and small area rugs. Remove bath mats and bath rugs from bathrooms as well as carpeted toilet seat covers and padded toilet seats. These things are perceived as dirty by visitors. Furniture should be placed in appropriate rooms, i.e., no desks in bedrooms, no cribs in dining rooms. Each room should have a definite purpose which is clear to the buyer.
4. One of the first things a potential buyer notices upon entering the home is odor. The home should have no odor, smell clean and fresh. Avoid masking air-fresheners, and strong cleaning product odors. Pleasant smells that appeal to everyone are fresh baked goods and sweet or citrus smells of a natural origin. Keep some refrigerator cookie dough on-hand and bake cookies an hour before a showing or open house. These can be left on a plate in the kitchen and offered to guests.
5. When showing your home, do not follow the potential home buyers around. Pack away anything that you are worried about being stolen or broken, and relax and let them tour at their own pace. Remove all pets from the home including birds, reptiles, dogs, and cats. Also remove evidence of the pets such as pet cages, dog crates, and litter boxes as well as sanitize pet areas to remove pet odors ahead of time. Clean the inside of the refrigerator, microwave, oven and cabinets – people will look inside everything!