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Jill Atwood ReportingLooking to sell your house quickly and get the most that you can out of it? Well, you have to set the stage, so to speak. The concept is called home staging and it's catching on right now in the red hot real estate market.
At first glance this home seems nice, but there are a few simple things that can be done to make it even more appealing. Remember, less is more.
Debbie Dixon, Coldwell Banker: "When you are staging a home, you have to remove a lot of the personal photos. It catches the attention of the buyer and they are not focused on the house anymore."
The stagers start in the office. First the photos and books, then the desk. In few short minutes it looks like a different room.
The living room in next. Here the furniture needs to be completely rearranged to improve the "flow" of the room.
Debbie Dixon: "We want to the buyer to walk into the room to be able to sit down and feel comfortable."
The idea is to de-clutter and emotionally disconnect from your home. That way buyers can start picturing themselves in your home.
In the kitchen it's all about showing off your counter space so you want to get rid of all the clutter. Also, you need to lose all the magnets on the fridge.
Some more quick tips:
- Did you know that paint can increase your home's value by as much as 30 percent?
- Also, turn the lights on when showing your home.
- And it seems like a no brainer, but make sure the beds are made and the house is clean.
Remember, it's the little things.
Staged Home Market Surveys show staged homes sell twice as fast and get as much as five percent more over the list price.