Staging Checklist: The Ultimate Guide For Every Seller

Staging Checklist: The Ultimate Guide For Every Seller

Selling your home? Congratulations on your new beginnings and a fresh chapter! But before you close this particular chapter, you should first prepare your home for sale. 

One good way to do so is through staging. Staging will let potential buyers see your home in the best possible light. And as a result, you could sell it faster and for more money, compared to properties that haven’t been staged. Not sure where to start? Read on for a guide!

Where should I focus?
Of course, your whole home will be staged and prepared. But there are areas that require a bit more attention. Buyers will watch out for these areas, especially.

Curb Appeal

It’s cliche to say, but first impressions matter. If you were in a buyer’s shoes, will you like to buy a house that looks weathered and unkempt, just from the outside? You might not even want to step foot inside. So make sure that you spend some time repairing fences, mowing the lawn, or adding a fresh coat of paint on the door.

Kitchen and Bathrooms

These two areas are where people do their most basic needs: food and hygiene. Aside from that, the kitchen is the heart of one’s home - where people flock to socialise. And of course, who doesn’t want a new shower or bathroom fixture, right?

Staging Checklist

We only have passed through a bit of what you need to above, but now, let’s get down to business. Feel free to print this part out and use it as your official checklist while you prepare your home for sale.

MAKE A GAME PLAN

Before you start any project, it’s best if you do your due diligence.

 

• Walk through every room of your home, look at it from a buyer’s perspective, and list down what needs change or improvements. Enlist the help of a trusted friend, for a more impartial view.

• Ask a few real estate agents for advice, if you can.

• Consider hiring a professional stager.

• Consider having your home inspected professionally to see if there are necessary repairs, major or otherwise.

• Consider hiring a cleaning service for certain areas, such as the bathroom or kitchen.

• Consider hiring contractors to handle any major repairs or projects.

DECLUTTER, ORGANISE, DEPERSONALISE

Start making your home buyer-friendly.

• Sort the possessions you absolutely don’t want to keep into three piles - sell, donate, and bin. Once you do, hold a yard sale.

• Clean the house from top to bottom.

• Replace worn fixtures.

• Paint the interiors. Use a light, neutral colour.

• Repair cracks and holes in the walls, jammed or squeaking doors, and the like.

• Remove excess furniture and rearrange the remaining to maximise space..

• Replace your carpets if stains are very prominent.

• Secure valuable items.

• Remove items from the garage and store them somewhere else.

• Remove personal pictures, items, and other trinkets.

• Clean up toys and pet supplies that may be strewn all over the house.

• Organise your closets and cabinets. Don’t fill it out with too much to show more storage space.

• Clean the backyard and the pool area.
  

REMEMBER CURB APPEAL

First impressions last.

• Mow your lawn.

• Power-wash the driveway, the garage, siding, and windows.

• Repair cracks on the driveway and sidewalk.

• Trim bushes and trees.

• Repair and repaint your fences.

• Repaint the exterior of the house, your porch, and the door.

• Clean up pet droppings, fallen leaves, and other rubbish in your front yard and backyard.

• Plant colourful flowers.

• Clean up downspouts and the gutters.

MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS IN WORKING ORDER

• Have a professional check on your HVAC, water systems, and electrical wiring.

• Check every light bulb, socket, appliances you’ll leave behind, bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Make sure they are all functional.

WORK ON THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS

• Replace cabinet handles.

• Repaint cabinets.

• Mop and polish the floors.

• Regrout the tiles.

• Replace the caulking from bathtubs, toilets, sinks.

• Clean all appliances and fixtures.

Open House Day Tips:

• Turn all the lights on.

• Pull back the curtains for more light and pleasant views.

• Open windows for some fresh air.

• Put some flowers or live plants in the rooms.

• Light some scented candles for a more fragrant and relaxing atmosphere.

• Let your agent do the talking and don’t hover.

• Prepare drinks and snacks.
  
  

We hope this guide helps you prepare your house for sale in a more systematic way! We’re sure you’ll find a buyer in no time. If you need selling advice or want our assistance in selling your home, just drop us a message!

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