Staging Property for Home Buyers

In Houston, there are an abundance of sellers putting their houses and properties on the market.  When it comes to selling, most people hope to accomplish two things.  First, they want to sell their homes quickly.  Second, they want to sell their homes for a great price. 

Most sellers that are entering the Houston real estate market know what they want, but few know how to get the end results they desire.  What many sellers need to realize early on is that diligent planning, understanding what buyers really want and carefully staging homes can produce amazing results.    

When selling a house, here are some tried and true tips from that home sellers need to make their home marketable to prospective buyers.

1)      Remain neutral.  Staging a home is the act of making a property attractive to prospective buyers.  Remember, they are trying to make the home presentable to Houston home buyers and buyers may not share the seller’s passion for red walls or ornate drapery.  Instead of choosing to showcase the home the way seller’s like it, they should choose to be neutral with your choice of paint, décor and furnishings.  Buyers that enter the home should see the space as a blank canvas and be able to envision living there.

2)      Disassociate.  It can be hard for buyers to imagine living in a home if the seller keeps family photos or memorabilia out for them to see.  Anytime the home is shown, sellers should pack personal items away so buyers think “we could live here.”

3)      Clear the clutter.  Homeowners may be able to appreciate tight living quarters and clutter, but buyers want to see large spaces that are free of distractions.  Make sure to advise the seller to clean up any clutter that may be distracting to buyers.

4)      Clean.  Every time the home is shown, it should have a clean appearance or buyers may be turned off.

5)      Add warmth to the entrance.  The first thing buyers will see before they enter the home is the entry way.  The seller should make sure this area is well-lit and free of clutter, making sure it is clean and inviting.  As buyers walk into the home, it is also nice to add some warmth to the front hallway to make them feel at ease.  This can be accomplished by purchasing a new “welcome” mat and lighting candles throughout the home (fresh scented candles that are not overpowering).

6)      Ask for professional help.  No one understands the art of staging better than the pros.  For this reason, sellers shoudl find it is to their advantage work with a Houston Realtor who can help stage the home and make the real estate process easier for the seller.

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Mark W. Martin is President of 2M Realty. He is active in real estate sales and develops land in the Houston real estate market. Areas of current development include the Conroe real estate, New Caney real estate and Humble real estate markets. 

2M Realty has simple goals in mind: Simplify the real estate process, reduce stress for Buyers and Sellers, earn client trust, and keep client trust. These simple but lofty goals are backed by over 20-years experience as a Texas real estate broker and Houston Realtor.