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Staging Your Home:

Laura's Step By Step Guide
to preparing your house for sale.

In order to show your property to its best advantage, try to imagine yourself as a prospective buyer. Only by looking at your property with an objective eye - as if you are considering buying it - can you see what the buyer sees.

Search your home and yard for all those areas that need fixing or cleaning up. Though repairs and painting may not add to the value of your home, good maintenance is expected. A property in good condition is more likely to sell in our very competitive Las Vegas market for a higher price and in a more timely manner.

Outside Your Property

Curb Appeal creates that great first impression necessary to get buyers excited about your house, A buyer's first impression is so important as it usually stays with them as they try and remember which of the many houses they have seen they like best!

• Keep the lawn & the shrubs trimmed & edged, remove any dead limbs & debris, make sure lawn is well watered and fertilized
• Clean your yard of clutter and refuse, put away lawn equipment and arrange outdoor items
• Park your vehicles so they don't obstruct the view of your house from across the street
• Touch up the exterior paint and trim as necessary. Also, paint or wash the front door as that is the buyer's first focal point
• Repair or replace loose or missing roof tiles and shingles
• Colorful flowers add a nice touch for a small cost and can really make a difference
• Make sure any exterior lights are working. Also, check doorbells, intercoms etc.

Inside YourHome

The interior of your properly should 'sparkle". As a seller, your biggest competition in the Las Vegas Valley is new homes. More than 70% of all buyers who are looking to buy a home in this area are buying new. This means you are competing against model homes, and although we understand in most cases that you are still living in your home the brighter, neater, and less cluttered your home can look, the faster it will sell.

• An interior coat of paint works wonders, typically white or a light, neutral color is best
• Carpets should be shampooed, kept vacuumed, and repaired if any holes exist
• Pay particular attention to bathrooms and the kitchen. Buyer's often inspect these rooms more thoroughly. Make sure dishes are picked up & washed, floors are swept & clean, sinks are clear of clutter, counters are wiped down, and no food is left out that may cause odors. In bathrooms make sure towels are picked up, toilets & tub/showers are clean, caulking/grouting is in good repair
• Empty rooms of unnecessary furniture (store it or sell it), keep furniture dusted, straighten up loose newspapers or magazines, put away clothes and shoes
• Whenever possible keep pets out of the way when showing the home, one buyer may be allergic or annoyed, another gets his attention diverted. Pets will distract the buyers attention away from the house, and possibly make them feel rushed or uncomfortable
• Use high watt bulbs in lights, and leave lights on for showings illumination creates a warm, friendly environment. Also, soft music & the fragrance of potpourri in each room helps to appeal to all senses.
• Make sure the temperature of your home is appropriate for the season. In the winter, a fireplace may be appealing, where in the heat of the summer, air conditioning and ceiling fans would be appropriate.