Real Estate Staging - How to Sell/Rent it NOW!

You probably think that staging is something that should be left to Martha Stewart and Hollywood set designers, something tedious to be avoided. Whether tedious to you or not though, I will say this: in a slow real estate market, you need an edge. That edge doesn't have to come from spending ten grand on an in-ground pool, it can come from a few tricks to make a subconscious impression on every potential buyer or rental tenant who walks through your house.

Visual Staging

Let's start with real estate fundamentals before we get fancy. Is your house clean? Not "broom clean," whatever that means, but SHINY clean, spotless clean, eat-off-the-floor clean. People are vain, and like to look at their reflection in the granite countertop.

Another fundamental is landscaping. Keep in mind that the outside of the property is the first thing people see, and you want make a good impression so that your buyer or rental tenant isn't jaded against everything afterwards.

When you're fixing the house up, spend a little time coming up with a color scheme for the walls before you paint. White reminds people of hospitals, and I don't know about you but I hate hospitals. Look for warm colors, but keep them light; you don't want people thinking they're in a mud hut or something.

Accent your colored walls with whatever you can: trim, curtains, draps, carpet, door mat, whatever. Make sure the colors complement each other, because clashing will undo all your work.

If you have it sitting in storage, consider putting some furniture in the house, but don't bother spending money on it.

What you SHOULD bother spending money on is a flat screen television, because they're now cheap but still have that slick panache. Include it with the house, and they'll fall head over heels.

Auditory Staging

We're going to get a little more subtle now, away from the initial visual things we did specifically to be noticed. With auditory staging, we want to create an effect that potential buyers or rental tenants may or may not actually be aware of, and all the better if they don't ever know why they liked the house so much.

Auditory staging serves two purposes: 1. block out irritating background noise, and 2. creating a pleasant emotion in people subconsciously.

To block out noise, consider a hedge or fence or other landscaping, which also serves a visual role). Since you already bought a TV, why not use it? Turn it on when you first walk in, and leave it on, but beware: you'll want it to already be on the right channel, at the right volume. My personal favorite is lounge music or jazz; it'll arouse old childhood feelings of nostalgia.

Fountains (indoor or outdoor) are also a great way to do it all, as they block out noise, offer a pleasant gurgling sound, and look good. They don't have to be expensive either, so check out some discount home & garden stores.

Olfactory Staging

You have to be careful with smells, as they can easily become overpowering and unpleasant. Aim for subtlety, and keep it consistent with just one smell for the whole house.

Flowers are great because they're subtle and visual, but they're high-maintenance as you have to water them, prune them, replace them, etc.

Alternatives include incense, candles, plug-ins, or air freshener as a last resort. Choose carefully, because some smells stick around! Spices are strong but neutral; who doesn't like the smell of cinnamon?

There are probably thousands of houses for sale in your real estate market, and your house isn't any different fundamentally from the others. So the trick is to convince potential buyers or rental tenants that yours is better without ever having to say it, so get subtle and watch them fall in love!