Professional staging advice from the owner of Green Door Home Staging.
Have you ever been stressed about how to best stage your home? It can seem so daunting, which is why it’s best to get help from a professional. Recently, I had the good fortune of getting to sit down with Luise Morris, a professional stager and owner of Green Door Home Staging. She told me all about how her company started and what her recommendations are, so I am here to share that information with you.
Luise started Green Door Home Staging in 2014 when she relocated from the East Coast. She was a Realtor in Rhode Island and always enjoyed helping people get their homes ready. Since she liked that facet of real estate the most, she decided to commit to it and create her staging business.
One of the basic things she does for most of her clients is a staging consultation, which typically happens when the home is occupied. During this consultation, Luise helps her clients visualize what the home could look like and prepare it to get the most profit.
“The home should look like you don’t live there.”
Luise says that kitchens and bathrooms are typically the areas that she has to deal with the most, as many people don’t see a problem with having things piled up on the counters and other areas. The issue here is that you don’t want the buyer to feel like they won’t have room for all of their stuff. Therefore, cabinets should have a comfortable amount of space in them and countertops should be cleared off. There should be storage available for the buyer to see.
When Luise stages home, she is helping the owner sell the dream that when the buyer is in this house, they’re going to be neat and organized, they’ll cook nice meals, the house will always be clean, etc. Buyers want to feel that way, and Luise helps create that atmosphere.
Therefore, she recommends that laundry is picked up, rooms are clean, Kleenex boxes are put away, etc. Even family photos should be taken down, as they will distract the buyer when they’re walking through the house. It should look like you don’t live there. That changes the buyer’s mindset and helps them picture themselves in the home, not you. This house is no longer your home, it’s a product, so you have to be able to detach yourself.
As an experienced agent, I know how much it matters to be able to walk through a home and see a completely neutral slate. There’s a lot to think about when staging, so make sure to talk to Luise with Green Door Home Staging to get her professional opinion. If you have any questions or want to be connected with her, call or email me anytime.
