Why Split-Level homes are difficult to sell but they do not have to be if you use some simple tips and tricks to impress potential buyers where they can see themselves living in the home.
My Pinterest Board – Split-Level Staging – Check out my Pinterest to generate some ideas, I have used a few with great success, but I know time is a liability for you right now so we’ll think quickly & simply.
Put away the family photos.
It can feel a little weird to think about putting away images of your loved ones, but there is a good reason for the suggestion. Your family photos make the home feel like yours. You want buyers to feel like it could be theirs. A lack of family photos can give them space to have that feeling.
***I am going to add because I trust NOBODY, you don’t want to have pictures of the children for safety reasons someone could take a picture of them with the address it’s just not a good combination.
Put away the memorabilia.
Memorabilia is a lot like family photos – it’s personalized. And you are trying to get away from personal when you stage your home. Putting away the memorabilia is recommended because there is no way to know if the buyers viewing the house will have an appreciation for your collection – or possibly even an aversion to your collection.
Throw slipcovers over old furniture.
Staging your furniture properly will help your home show better on the real estate market and sell for more money. Slipcovers are a relatively affordable way to make your old furniture look newer and more attractive.
Give rooms a purpose.
One of the things that professional home stagers will do is design the look of each room to reflect a purpose – like a child’s room, a nursery, an office, and so on. You can do the same. You can look at listing descriptions of homes to see how parts of the property are marketed. Example: If you have a 3-bedroom house, you could easily turn one bedroom into an office or craft room and one into a child’s room, even if you don’t have kids. Make sure you read the description before it is posted to see if your realtor is marketing the home the way it was discussed. Here’s an example of a room with purpose, you don’t have to have a large amount of furniture to have a purpose
Clear away the clutter – The Most Important!
Clutter makes a home look dirty and makes rooms look smaller – including closets and garages. It is easy to lose sight of what constitutes clutter when you have lived in a home for a long time, so you might use the mantra “Less is Best” which works best in Home Staging.
Paint the rooms that need painting.
One of the most inexpensive and worthwhile home improvements is painting. Paint is an inexpensive way to make a room look bright and new. Your rooms may be decorated in dark, oppressive colors, be covered in dated wallpaper, or have paint that is scuffed and dirty. Any spaces that have issues with the color, texture, or appearance of the walls should be painted before you start showing the home.
Clean – This is the most important Too!
One of the least expensive ways to stage your home is to clean the hell out of it. Unless you price your home way below market value, you cannot expect buyers to jump in with offers if your home is not Clean & Tidy. All the other homes that they look at are going to be spotless, so you need to clean yours just to be competitive. You’ll want to clean it thoroughly – countertops, all cabinets (inside and outside) because buyers tend to look everywhere before they offer money for a home.
Deodorize.
Many Realtors will tell you that bad smells are the single biggest turnoff to buyers, so you definitely want to make sure your home smells nice before you try to show the property. And you need to have someone else help you identify if there are bad odors in your home, trust me your realtor will let you know. You may think your property smells fine, but buyers might not feel the same. Sign up with text appointments with your realtor so you know ahead of time. We had a 24-hour notice set, this way you can bake something before showing or turn on essential oil plug-ins before showing. I personally like the fragrant reed diffusers placed in a simple small vase – it looks elegant and it’s cheap (Dollar Store ones smell nice).
Fix any glaring defects.
When you are selling a home, it is essential to take care of any defects that are readily apparent to a buyer. It could be something simple like an old water stain on the ceiling or an issue more significant like a dripping pipe – Ours was the showerhead in our bathroom. Whatever problem happens to be taken care of it before you list it for sale.
Remove pets from the home during showings.
For dog and cat lovers, it can seem crazy that buyers wouldn’t want to meet your pets . . . What?!? But the fact is in, there are a lot of potential buyers who are not into pets due to allergies or some other aversion. Even dog and cat lovers may prefer to buy a home with minimal pet presence.
Provide flyers with useful information about the home, the school district, etc.
There may be some information that potential buyers will find useful when they view the home, like information about the repairs the house has had or the school districts in the area. Making a list of improvements you have made to your property is really helpful to a buyer. Outstanding real estate agents will use this as part of their marketing material that a buyer will take when viewing the home. Your list should include what you did and when you did it if you have receipts another great benefit.
You may even create a flyer showing all the fantastic places you can walk to from your home. This part all depends on the type of buyer you are courting and what your home has to offer . . . . Marketing, Marketing, Marketing!
Display some flameless pillar candles
To increase the coziness, this is my favorite . . . placing some battery-operated pillar candles as part of a well-styled coffee table. Not only will the height of the candles add some visual interest, but the glow will also add to the warm ambiance.
If you’re looking for guidance beyond this post today, my Coaching Programs can be customized just for you. Book a Complimentary Session to discuss what’s holding you back. I look forward to guiding you on your journey to achieve organized spaces in your home or business.
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I grew up as a military kid, we moved about every two years. I learned to “nest” wherever our family deployed. I had a passion and gift for creating and defining unique spaces from the time I could first state my own opinion about design. This has served me well throughout my career – to create unique and vibrant living spaces one ‘nest’ at a time.
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