What are people looking for when shopping for a home?   As a stager, that is my number one priority, creating a place that buyers can visualize coming home to.   But buyers should be able to look past everything in the property and just see the house – right? Why are we so worried about “our stuff” and how the house is arranged? Because first impressions are hard to overcome, and because they can be used to our advantage.

 90% of buyers shop the internet before deciding which homes to go see.  Photos now create the first impression of your home. Make sure they convey the right message. 

I’ve written before about other aspects of preparing your home for sale and furniture considerations are down the list in importance below cleaning like crazy and decluttering to an extreme. But once you have done the painting, cleaning, decluttering, etc., it’s time to consider showcasing. Showcasing is arranging furniture and accessories to best show off the space, highlight the architecture, and create a welcoming atmosphere. Even if you aren’t moving, you might want to consider following the tips below to give your rooms a new look. It’s fun and free.

A great place to start is with your camera. Start outside and shoot the scene that buyers will see when they drive up. Then stand in the doorway of each room and snap a picture. It’s amazing what becomes obvious to you when you’re reviewing the photos. Printing each photo on a single sheet of paper will allow you to draw right on the photo and create a staging plan.  I like to start with editing the room-. Look at the photos --what doesn’t belong? Remove the items that ended up where they are because they had no home. Time to sell it, store it, or give it away. Is the furniture actually in the way of a great photo? Will people have to walk around or between furniture to get through a room? What else do you see in the photos? Draperies that are dated and old leave exactly that impression on the house. The number one problem I see is too much furniture in a room. Remove a few pieces and show off the spaciousness of your home, not the furniture. 

Next it’s time to rearrange the furniture to maximize the space, create warmth, and prepare for those all important photos.   Whenever possible, I like to start with a clean slate. I move everything from the room- or at least the pieces I can move myself or slide out of the way. Then it’s time to reset the room. Here are my rules:

1.       Determine the focal point of the room and keep it to just one. It can be a fireplace, a picture window, a television or the bed. What will people see when they first enter the room? Make it beautiful!

 

2.       Place the largest piece of furniture first.  The largest furniture usually goes on the largest wall. Conversely, small pieces of furniture should go in smaller places to avoid appearing lost or insignificant. 

 

3.       Pull furniture away from the walls. The space between the furniture and the walls actually makes the room appear larger. It creates breathing room. 

 

4.       Balance the furniture in the room. Imagine loading a ship, placing items of equal weight across from each other to keep the ship from tipping over. 

 

5.       Be careful with area rugs. They should be large enough to anchor spaces. Postage stamps under coffee tables do not make for great pictures. 

 

6.       Create an easy path for the eye to follow around the room. Vary the heights of furniture, lamps, bookcases, etc. to keep the eye moving and create an interesting room. 

 

7.       In small rooms, consider placing furniture at a diagonal. In empty rooms, add a few pieces of furniture at a diagonal to create interest. Empty rooms do not photograph well. 

 

When you’ve finished, retake your photos. Better? Review them with your Realtor and ask for their first impressions. Lastly, if this isn’t as much fun for you as it is for me, consider hiring a stager. This is my idea of a good time. Stagers are also happy to create do it yourself plans. Whether you hire a stager or do it yourself, preparing your home for great photos will be time well spent. 

Next time, we’ll talk about what to do with the accessories.

Good luck for a speedy sale,

Sandy Gardner