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If you have any questions or need more detailed information, please feel free to contact me via phone at 301.613.7253 or fill out the form to let us know how we can help with your real estate needs.

Office Location 795 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: (301) 613-7253
Fax: (301) 424-9290

Clutter Eats Equity: Home staging made simple!

Posted by Matt Lateer on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 at 12:59pm.

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The current market that we find ourselves in can be challenging enough without having to deal with a property’s poor condition.  Staging can make a home sell much more quickly and for significantly more.  We’ve all seen a cluttered home that has turned us off.

  

Following are a few basic tips that Thomas and I implement in readying a home for the market.  Remember, “CLUTTER EATS EQUITY”.  More clutter results in substantially less profit from the sale.

·         Depersonalize:  Pack up family photos that act as a distraction (while interesting, they just draw attention from what we are really trying to sell).

·         Open all blinds and curtains to allow for the most natural light possible.

·         Remove excess furniture to make rooms appear larger.  You would be surprised at how large I can make an 8’ x 8’ room feel, especially in pictures.

·         Pick up rugs that cover your homes’ assets (tile and hardwood floors).

·          Remove or reduce the number of books, cds, dvds, etc on shelving.  Consider packing them up early.

·         Consider using higher wattage than you currently have in light fixtures in darker areas of the home.  Bright kitchens and bathrooms have the greatest impact.  I also prefer using the bluish colored bulbs that create white light.  It is a much cleaner look than the yellowish color which is cast off normal bulbs (you may not notice the yellow until you look for it, but you will notice a dramatic difference when you see the bluish bulbs in action).

·         Pack up or dispose of any excess knick-knacks, papers, magazines, etc.

·         Remove everything from the front of your refrigerator (ie: magnets, pictures, etc)   This creates a much cleaner look!

·         Remove any containers from the kitchen counter that have countless kitchen utensils in them.  These utensils completely imply “we do not have enough space , or cabinetry, in this kitchen!”  You should also attempt to maximize clean counter space.

·         If you don’t already have a few flowers in vases in your home, I would suggest you purchase a few (the larger and more colorful the better).  Flowers and plants really warm an area and add a little life to a space.  If you have a space that you feel is missing something, flowers or plants are probably your solution.

8_400Don’t be surprised when you find yourself doing some of these things in the homes you live in without having the intention of selling.  I can assure you, no one is allowed to put magnets on my refrigerator!  That is, of course, unless we are talking about Llewellyn calendar magnets, which we would gladly send you one for free = )

 

This is just a start, but here are the basics.  For more information, feel free to contact myself of Thomas.  We also offer a free evaluation of your home with no obligation.

 

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 *Please note:  I took these pictures in homes in Rockville, Germantown, and Silver spring

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