Bright, Clean, and Uncluttered: Key Tips for Staging an Open House

A little salesmanship can go a long way, especially if you’re trying to impress prospective home buyers. For homeowners, that means doing a good job staging an open house. Most realtors will tell you that an open house is an indispensable step in marketing your home, an opportunity to attract as many buyers as possible to your home and impress with features that really make your house stand out. Picking up loose items, repainting, and decluttering are a few of the more obvious steps you can take to get ready for an open house, but there are other measures you can take, many of which are often overlooked by homeowners seeking to make a strong impression.

Fresh and clean

It’s easy to overlook funky smells in your home. As residents, you’ve probably become nose blind to the lingering scent of dog or cat urine, but a visitor can’t help but notice as soon as they step inside and take a deep breath. Every house has its own particular scents, but you need to mask smells that detract from the image you want to project. Pets, lingering cigarette smoke, and mildew aren’t likely to impress anyone that yours is the kind of clean, well-kept space they’d want to spend the next 15 to 30 years in. Remember, when it comes to selling, perception is reality. If buyers think they smell a dirty house, they’ll be convinced that it’s a dirty house.

Pet evidence

Remembers that buyers are super-sensitive to anything that looks or smells dirty. That includes pets. Buyers, even those who own pets themselves, are likely to question purchasing a home that bears the signs of long-term dog or cat ownership. Stains on the carpeting, piles of dog or cat hair on couches or in the corners, and scratches on hardwood flooring and baseboards may make buyers worry that they’d face a lot of repairs as owners. It’s worth considering a good, professional cleaning—most homeowners spend between $116 and $235 on cleaning services. Make sure your pets are out of the picture on open house day. Keep them with a friend, board them (this usually costs $25 – $45 a night), or reach out to a pet-sitting service while you’re showing your home.

Curb appeal

Making sure your home looks appealing from the street and sidewalk is a must for any homeowner. Many people consider keeping the grass mowed and the bushes trimmed to be good enough, but there’s much more to curb appeal than keeping up with the vegetation. Remember, you want passersby to be drawn to your home. Consider repainting the trim on your exterior with a coat of bright paint, including your front door and shutters. If your siding or stucco is looking worn and dingy, have it power-washed before you start marketing your property or set out a “For Sale” sign.

Light it up

These days, most buyers are looking for a bright, uncluttered space with plenty of flow. You can help accentuate the best features of your home with plenty of light, natural and otherwise. Prepare for an open house by keeping blinds and drapes open. Add lighting to brighten up any rooms that have dark corners. Mood lighting and a mysterious atmosphere won’t help sell your home. It’ll just look like you have something to hide, so add floor lamps and track lighting in rooms that aren’t sufficiently illuminated by external light.

Dress rehearsal

Consider staging a faux open house before opening your home to potential buyers. Go through each room and look at it as a buyer might. Check for physical imperfections or areas that are difficult to see well. If you see (or smell) anything that might detract from your home’s value, address it before you schedule your first open house.

Thank you to Lucille Rosetti of The Bereaved

Carol Gilles, of the RealEstate Group, has been helping home buyers and  home sellers for over 39 years, helping home sellers prepare their home for a successful open house!  Carol can be reached at 310-864-9738 or Carol@CarolGilles.com