How To Get More Money For Your Home Staging for $100, $500 & $5,000
How To Get More Money For Your Home: Staging for $50, $500 & $5,000 Begins next week (May 29th) on the Today Show and will continue into the following week.
Many thanks to my namesake, Barbara Brock, and her team at A Proper Place for all their help on the segment. It would not have been possible without the professionalism and generosity of this firm. If you are looking for home staging in the New York area, you need look no further than A Proper Place.
I’d also like to thank Lisa Gold of Liora Manne for the loan of some of their rugs.
Here are my Insider Tips for Staging Your Home
1. Make the Right First Impression
“Buyers decide in the first 8 seconds whether or not they want to buy your home.”
-- Barbara Corcoran
□ Paint the front door and trim
□ Hang a wreath on the door
□ Add potted flowers (flowers in front say this is a happy house)
□ Fertilize the grass to make it bright green
□ Put fresh mulch around the bushes
□ Fix the doorbell if it’s broken
2. Let the Sun Shine In!
“After location, light is the second most quoted reason why a buyer chooses the house.”
-- Barbara Corcoran
□ Clean all the windows
□ Replace drapery with sheer curtains or white shades
□ Replace lamp shades with sheer white shades
□ Replace light bulbs with higher wattage
□ Trim back shrubs that block window light
□ Paint the inside walls white
□ Put white slipcovers on all dark furniture
□ Put up lights in each corner of the major rooms
3. Remove Clutter
“People can’t visualize themselves living there when they can’t see past your clutter.”
-- Barbara Corcoran
□ Store half your “stuff,” including knick-knacks and furniture
□ Remove personal objects like family photos and children’s artwork
□ Remove all objects from closet floors
□ Put half your clothes into storage
□ Make your linen closet meticulous; people judge hidden wiring and plumbing by how neat your linen closet is
□ Hide all electric cords and wiring
□ Eliminate unhealthy plants
□ Put fresh sheets on beds with four extra pillows
4. Send Kitty to Grandma’s House
“People buy with their eyes and their noses.”
-- Barbara Corcoran
□ Remove kitty litter, dog beds and other smelly pet items
□ Warm a few drops of vanilla inside the oven door
□ Smoke outside; remove ashtrays
□ Open all windows an hour before the buyer arrives
□ Keep the trash can clean
5. Freshen the Kitchen
“The kitchen is everyone’s favorite room in the house.”
-- Barbara Corcoran
□ Clear all countertops
□ Replace cracked, scratched or broken appliances
□ Re-grout the tile
□ Wax the floors
□ Update kitchen knobs
□ Paint or replace cabinet fronts
□ Put in a window; it can increase the value of your home 10%
6. Clean the Bathroom
“No one wants to move into your bathroom.”
-- Barbara Corcoran
□ Scrub the walls and floors
□ Clear off all shelves and put away personal items
□ Re-grout tiles and replace caulking
□ Hang a new shower curtain
□ Buy fresh hand towels and rug
□ Replace old soap
7. Add Color
“Touches of yellow and other warm colors say ‘welcome home.’”
-- Barbara Corcoran
□ Buy new throw pillows for the sofa and bed
□ Add a fresh focus tree
□ Define areas with colorful rugs