Attracting an audience of buyers for your home is more challenging today than it was a year ago. The National Association of Realtors reports that 3,508,000 existing U.S. homes were listed for sale in December 2006; up from 2,846,000 in December 2005. The good news for sellers is that making a favorable impression matters more than price. Artful staging can put your house in the spotlight and reduce competitors’ homes to bit players.

Granted, buyers are purchasing only the property — not its contents. However, most people cannot see past your personal property and preferences to imagine themselves in your space. You can help them through the art of staging — by creating a sense of balance, simplicity, cleanliness, spaciousness and flow regardless of your home’s size or design. It requires that you use your furnishings to show off the house’s features — not to display your own style. Think generic. Think minimal. Think Pottery Barn.

 

Act one
Once you’ve decided to sell, you need to emotionally part with your home. When you put a house on the market, it’s no longer your personal space; it’s someone else’s future home. Consider the space temporary living quarters.

For a while, life will be less convenient: You’ll constantly be picking up and cleaning. You’ll have to live without some personal effects and avoid prominently posting kids’ artwork and family schedules. Your house may not feel as homey to you because it needs to feel like a potential home to someone else. To take your mind off the inconveniences, focus on the benefits: a higher value and a faster sale.

 

Setting the stage
Real estate experts say buyers often choose a property with their hearts before using their heads, and the state of your home can influence a potential buyer’s emotional response. Dana Dickey, vice director of Interior Redesign Industry Specialists, says, “The smallest detail can mean the difference between a quick sale and a depressingly long stay on the market.” Take these cues:

Declutter — Remove extra belongings from closets, the garage, cupboards, the basement, spaces under stairways, etc. To reduce inventory, hold a yard sale, donate items to charity or give them to friends and family. Pack up things you must keep but don’t need for day-to-day living (Aunt Marie’s china, the kids’ baby books, your first doll, etc.). Rent storage space if necessary.

Take this step in stages, advises redesign professional Jackie Olmstead, owner of RoomOvations in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. “Declutter your whole house. Then go through your house a second time to declutter again. And finally, have a friend go through and declutter with a fresh eye to see the good, the bad and the ugly that you have become accustomed to and look right past,” she says.

Neutralize and depersonalize — Applying a new coat of off-white paint can accomplish four important goals: freshening the walls, brightening the room, opening the space and neutralizing the color. To depersonalize, remove family photos and souvenirs. (Don’t worry; you’ll be able to display them again in your new place.) Eliminate most collections (except for art), knick-knacks and excess decorative accessories, especially if they look dated.

Update the decor — Invest in a few fashionable accessories for the fireplace mantel and coffee table. Paint an accent wall or add a few throw pillows in a trendy color. Replacing outmoded light fixtures is a high-impact, low-cost way to keep up with current styles.

Improve balance and flow — Open up the space by removing excess furniture. Rearrange to create conversation areas and a focal point in the room. “Move large seating furniture off of the walls,” Olmstead says. “Pushing seating up against walls reveals more floor space and perhaps makes the room feel larger, but it can also make [the space] feel cold and uninviting — like a doctor’s office.”

Keep it clean — Besides regular dusting, sweeping and vacuuming, this also means picking up after yourself. Eliminate back issues of newspapers and magazines. Keep houseplants healthy and pruned. “If artificial plants or flowers are used, make certain that they are appropriate to the season and that they are free of dust,” Olmstead adds.

Appeal to all five senses — The need for visual appeal is obvious, but smell, taste, sound and touch are important as well. Consider baking cookies before an open house. Play pleasant background music during showings, and make sure handrails, cabinet pulls and doorknobs are not sticky or rough.

“Be aware of pet odors and do something about them,” Olmstead says. “However don’t use chemical air fresheners as they can imply that you’re trying to mask an odor (such as mold). Artificial fragrances may even spur some shoppers to leave, not linger.”

When taking all of these steps, maintain an objective perspective. You are probably somewhat blind to your home’s flaws. Enlist a trusted friend or family member to come in with a fresh eye (and nose) and offer honest feedback. Or better yet, seek the services of a professional who is trained in staging or interior redesign (see “Tips and Tricks,” below).

 

Adding marquee value
Homebuyers are greatly influenced by a home’s kitchen and bathrooms. So if you’re spending money on remodeling and repairs, these rooms are where you’ll earn the best return for your dollar.

Closets are also important, and upgrading them with organizational systems can make a strong impression (see “Closet Space,” p. 32.) Put your existing closets in the best light by keeping them as empty as possible. Remove out-of-season clothes. Store nothing on the floor — even shoes. Olmstead advises arranging clothes by length, grouping all shirts together, all slacks together, etc. .

For more ideas on simple improvements, spend time shopping the competition. Attend showings in your area to see how your house compares with others. Adopt a buyer’s perspective and note the things you like, as well as turnoffs. For example, did personal effects or an ugly couch make a home less appealing? This experience can help you to look more objectively at your own home’s presentation.

Effective staging can help make your house more presentable (as well as more enjoyable) every day, so you needn’t wait until you’re ready to exit to grab the spotlight. Work with the props you have to create balance and flow and to make your home shine. That way it will be the perfect setting for any scenario, whether you sell immediately or stay for years. 

 

Tips and tricks
Though most of the steps we’ve recommended are simple and straightforward, a trained professional can take your property’s potential to the next level. “Stagers” or “redesign professionals” use several strategies to de-emphasize the negatives and highlight the positives of any home. Here are a few general principles:

Furniture placement —Try to balance the weight, focal points and architectural features to create an ambience of calm and comfort that invites a potential buyer to sit rather than walk past the room. For example, remove extra chairs from a crowded dining room to make it seem spacious.

Wall art and color — Place art no higher than 6 in. above seating furniture. Relate the size of a picture to the wall space. For example, don’t hang a single small picture on a large wall.

Accessories — Use a few carefully selected, well-placed items. Before an open house, set the dining room table as if it were prepared for guests.

Lighting — Open the shades (unless the view detracts from the home’s appeal). When possible, turn on all lights and lamps during showings to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere