July 16, 2019
Still More Staging Advice: Living Rooms and Closets
A home seller doesn’t need anything working against the desirability of the property they have on offer. That’s why we have written a number of “staging advice” posts in the past. And we continue that strain today, with a post meant to aid you in avoiding some of the most common problems encountered with two rooms found in nearly any home.
They don’t get the press of renovated kitchens, bathrooms, or master bedrooms—but living rooms and closets are spaces that have definite impact on how a for-sale home is perceived. Even if the kitchen is on lockdown, a problem with one of these areas can make the difference between an offer and a pass—particularly in a buyer’s market.
While living rooms—particularly the “formal” living room of days past, which were meant to act as the “public” space in a home, where the furniture was kept pristine, the objects on display were as first-rate as one could manage, and family heirlooms were presented with all the panache a homeowner could muster—have been desirable in the market at one time or another, the fact is that these days they are seen as archaic. If a room in a home is presented in a way that the potential buyer cannot see themselves using it, that impression can be hard for them to shake. So it is with such living rooms. A seller should instead stage such a room in a more contemporary fashion: perhaps as an “entertainment” room (think: big screen tv, plush couches, a nice stereo, games) or even as a home office.
And closets—those hidden-away spaces, where goes everything one would prefer go unseen by guests—are on unfortunate display in the process of selling a home. Clutter—including an overabundance of clothing—in such spaces only serves to obfuscate the amount of storage space that they offer. A buyer is more likely to see a lack of storage space in this scenario, and that never serves the selling process well. Clear those closets of clutter—pare down to the bare essentials. Rent a temporary storage unit if you must. Give the impression of ample storage space.
Here at Topouzis & Associates, P.C., we make sure a seller is conveying true and unencumbered title to a home to a purchaser, and we provide title insurance to back our title services. Whether you’re a lender, an investor, or purchasing a new home, the policies we connect you with provide peace of mind that your new property will not bring along any nasty surprises. Whether you live in Providence, Rhode Island; Cambridge, Massachusetts; or Boca Raton, Florida, feel free to contact us for more information.
