Wanted: Quiet Street for Bike Riding

So I decided today to put our house on the market. It's not the best time but we made it very cute and did some great renovations(that are un-finished) but the agent is coming on Friday to crunch the numbers. We will see? I need a quieter street and some more land. My son needs to graze and so do we. Keep your fingers crossed. I move this every 2 years. 33 and have owned 5 homes already. Number 6....I"M COMING!!

Here are some great staging tips that I have kept and always refer back every 2 years and have added to them as I learned. Never failed me yet.

1. Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.
Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
Picture yourself handing over the keys to the new owners!

2. De-Personalize.Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself living here."

3. De-Clutter!Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.
If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
Remove all books from bookcases.
Pack up those knickknacks.
Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

4. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.

Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means: Neatly stack dishes.

5. Rent a Storage Unit. Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"

6. Remove/Replace Favorite Items.If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal.

7.Make minor repairs:

Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
Patch holes in walls.
Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.

8. Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls. (Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")

9. Replace burned-out light bulbs.

10. Make the House Sparkle!
Wash windows inside and out.
Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
Clean out cobwebs.
Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
Clean out the refrigerator.
Vacuum daily.
Wax floors.
Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
Bleach dingy grout.
Replace worn rugs.
Hang up fresh towels.
Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.

When you are all done inside...Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you? Imagine how your house looks to a buyer.

You're almost finished.
11. Check Curb Appeal.If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.
Keep the sidewalks cleared.
Mow the lawn.
Paint faded window trim.
Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
Trim your bushes.
Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number or buy some fresh ones.