Staging 101: Appealing to the Buyer’s Senses

              It is all about a potential buyer’s initial impression to create desire vs. need.  We want the “WOW” factor.  This can be accomplished by incorporating the five senses:

Sight:  Light is extremely important.  Natural light should be used a much as possible.  Curtains should be opened and all forms of clutter removed.  Shrubs and trees should be trimmed, the lawn edged, and flowers planted for color.

Touch:  Your home must be cleaned from top to bottom—no grime on the kitchen/bathroom counters!

Smell:  By far, the most important:

-         Your home should smell fresh and clean. 

-         No smoking inside

-         Eliminate animal smells (make sure that cat litter box is clean and out of the house if possible).

-         Empty all waste baskets

-         Any laundry must be put away and not visible.

-         Eliminate mold and mildew if present

-         All cooking smells cleared

-         Diaper pails must be emptied

-         Open the windows 20-30 minutes a day to free any odors

-         If you can, provide some fresh flowers

Taste:  Prior to a showing, set out some individually wrapped candies for prospective buyers and their agents or host a wine and cheese party during a broker’s open for example.

Sound:  Play a CD of soft classical music at a low volume.  Also, there is nothing worse than a barking dog or traffic noise.  Make sure you make arrangements for your pet prior to a showing,  Also, if you live in a high traffic area, plan your showings around the time when there is less noise, i.e., in the middle of the day.

Next time we’ll concentrate on how to make a first impression.