The Seven Deadly Sins in Home Staging

So what's the biggest mistake home sellers make? Thinking that potential buyers will walk into their home and just love the way they have decorated.  Wrong.

And the second biggest mistake? That their home can never look like the one in the Architectural Digest Magazine. Wrong again.

In real estate beauty is in “the eye of the buyer” and many consumers fail to recognize that fact.  They continue to make of the same basic mistakes – referred to by some as the “Seven Deadly Sins.” And that’s where a professional stager, or a real estate professional with staging knowledge, can help the sellers get their house in order as it is widely recognized that staged homes sell faster.

Here is a few of the Seven Deadly Sins of Staging according to Accredited Home Staging Council. For a free report on all 7 the deadly sins visit http://www.ahsdesignation.com.

1.      Failure to de-clutter your entire home.

Clutter, both inside and outside, makes it extremely hard for the buyers to visualize moving in.  The disorganization will directly affect the buyer’s ability to focus on the house and they will most likely overlook its key selling features.  In addition, clutter has the affect of making the house appear smaller than it is as the “open” feeling is gone.

2. Failure to de-personalize your entire home.

The seller’s home is their comfort zone and it is filled with all of their personal memorabilia, but to the buyers it represents a huge distraction.  People are generally curious and when you want them to notice the beautiful entryway they may be focused on all the family pictures on the piano or all the “stuff” stuck to the front of your refrigerator.  Your objective is to change the view of the house from the sellers “lived in home” to the buyer’s “ready to move in house.” 

3. Failure to use neutral colors when painting both inside and outside.

While the seller’s favorite colors may be the exact complement to their living style, the shades and hues may be a complete distraction and turn-off to the buyers.  Their favorite wall paper may not be on the buyer’s “best” list.  The best way to present a home is for the wall colors to be painted a neutral color.  This goes for the outside as well – a loud or non-neutral color may just keep the buyers from even stopping to see the inside.

Maybe the time has come for you to show your clients the way to a better staged home and a faster sale. Consider becoming an Accredited Home-Staging Specialist (AHS) and acquiring the extra skills and knowledge you need to be their #1 resource. With the Internet and great learning management software, you can now obtain all the staging knowhow you need over a weekend in the convenience of your own home.