The Phoenix housing market is definitely on the rise and as our economy recovers, housing prices in Phoenix continue to rise. What all this means is a steady transition from a buyer’s market to a seller’s market. Suddenly, many sellers are starting to get the price they are asking, and it is happening more rapidly as well.
Although the market is picking up, sellers still need to be sure they do everything possible to make their home more attractive to prospective buyers if they want to receive top dollar at the closing. The best way to accomplish this is through deliberate home staging. Be sure you are working with a local realtor that either has an in-house staging professional, or is partnered with one. A professional home stager will be able to provide the best advice on what is needed to make your home most attractive.
Here are some general guidelines for home staging that you can bring up with the staging professional to make sure nothing is missed:
Cultivate an Appealing Exterior
‘Curb appeal’ is an often-used term in the real estate business, and for good reason. If your home lacks this essential quality, many prospective buyers will not bother to look at the inside. Make the necessary exterior repairs, such as tears in the roof or siding, cracks in the pavement, etc. Also, if it fits within your budget, consider hiring a professional to put together a well thought out landscaping scheme. This will do wonders for the curb appeal of the home and bring many more buyers through the front door.
Take Out the Clutter
You will hear this again and again from your stager, because it is very important; get rid of the clutter, especially personal items. Remember, this is no longer your home to live in as you want. It is now on display and needs to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Toward that end, start with removing any and all unnecessary furniture and furnishings. The goal is to make the home look as spacious as possible, and to allow prospective buyers to imagine living there. You may need to rent a temporary storage unit to keep all your stuff, but this $100 or so investment will pay off many times over when the sale is closed.
Paint the Interior
If you have not painted in a while and/or the color scheme of your interior is not neutral enough to appeal to a wide group of prospects, you may be asked to paint the interior. Painting is one of the most cost effective ways to improve the home interior, so it is certainly worth considering in any case.
Add Something Extra
If you follow the first 3 suggestions, you will be ahead of the majority of home sellers. But you may want to do something special to make your house stand out even more. Be sure the house has a pleasant scent. You may also want to add fresh flowers and some baked goods for your open houses. Finally, if you have the budget, you may want to consider renting all new furniture that fully compliments the layout of the home. Consult with your staging professional for what furnishings you need to make your home interior truly dazzling.
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