Let Home Decor by Design help you with the top most important selling secrets for staging your home!

By simply following the steps below you can immensely increase the chances of selling your home in a very short time. First we will tackle the outside then head indoors to make your home buyer ready.

1) Curb Appeal

You can never redo a first impression, with that being said so many prospective buyers judge a home by simply driving past so why not wow them!

First thing is to clean up that yard, make it as pristine as possible:

·       Paint, does your house need painting? If so paint in a neutral color all buyers will love. 

·       Is your roof in good condition? Make sure it's clean by removing any moss or debris, pressure washing is best.

·       Rake those leaves! This makes a big difference and keep up on it till your home is sold.

·       Weed that flowerbed and if the season permits add new annuals for a splash of color!

·       Trim the lawn, hedges, bushes and trees make sure to keep all bushes and limbs away from windows. When trimming keep in mind and to make sure your house can be viewed from the street in all directions.

·       Hose off that driveway, pressure wash if possible it will make a big difference.

·       Don’t forget the gutters! If you don't clean it buyers will think that it will be one of their jobs when buying your home.

·      Make sure your front door area is clean and well kept. This part is usually an area to highlight which can 
    can be as simple as painting the front door. You can place a beautiful pot of Mums, season permitting,
    on your steps it's always an eye catcher and can liven up any home for very little cost.

If you don’t keep up the outside of your home a prospective buyer will think you don't maintain the inside of your home.

2) Do any maintenance to your home inside, you know those jobs you have been putting off. If those jobs aren’t done, buyers will make a list in their minds of what they will have to do and it will come off the bottom line of the sale. You could potentially save a lot of money by doing these tasks yourself.

3) Clean your entire house, even the closets. Your prospective buyers are going to open those doors, those draws and pull open that shower curtain. So spring clean your entire home, even if it’s winter. This means carpets and drapes as they can hold odors you may not be aware of. Don’t forget the attic and garage; they will be looking there too, count on it.

4) Depersonalize your home. Buyers do not care about your family pictures, awards or your favorite hobby, store these items away. Leave only home decor items that enhance your homes appearance. Save only a few kids toys that can be easily stored out of the buyers view and pack the rest away. Pack early for the move, the sale of your home is right around the corner.

5) Clear clutter, nick knacks any excess items on shelves or tables less is better. You may leave one or two home decor items, depending on the size of the surface. A simple candle or flower vase is sometimes all you need. This will make your home feel more open and inviting and not to mention clean. When you’re through and you think it just doesn’t look like anyone really lives there, then you have done the job right. Remember buyers need to be able to picture themselves living there not you.

6) Remove any excess furniture. Look at each room carefully and see if there isn’t any one or two pieces of furniture you could remove that you don’t need, store it away for the move. The more items removed from a room the bigger the room will look and buyers are looking for more space. 

7) Highlight key features to your home. Fireplaces are one of the most sought after items on a buyer’s list, whether fueled by gas, pellets or wood. Make sure nothing is stopping buyers from focusing in on this key feature. Feature anything that is unique about your home that possibly you loved about the house when you bought it, make it stand out. This may mean cleaning it or painting and if painting a room do it in neutral colors that everyone no matter what home decor style they have will love. Remember to choose light neutral colors for small rooms it will make the room to appear bigger.

8)  Make sure windows are all fully exposed without plants or any other items in front of it. Make sure they are above all clean and drapes or blinds are drawn back to let in as much light in your home as possible. This will make the room look brighter and somewhat bigger. Make sure your plants outside aren't hiding it.

9) Ok, now you think your ready to show your home? Think again, before you have your first open house, go out to the curb and look at your home as if you were a potential buyer. Walk up your driveway paying special attention to details in your home and landscaping because this is what your buyers will see. Do you like what you see? Ok, then step inside and go through each room and see if there is anything you could have possibly missed. Now your ready!

10) Now here are some of the most important secrets of all:

• Add a fresh cut bouquet of flowers to the dinning room table
• Put your best towels and placemat out
• Guest soap displayed just right in the guest and master baths makes a warm and inviting feeling 
• If you have a bed tray, put it on the master bed with a placemat and a rose filled vase with two wine glasses
• Drape a beautiful throw blanket across your favorite arm chair
• Most important, just before the showing bake some home made cookies to fill your home with a wonderful aroma and also for the guest to enjoy when they arrive.