Outdated Staging Tricks You Need to Stop Using Immediately

If you are selling your home, no doubt you’re getting lots of advice about how to stage your
home to appeal to potential buyers. Maybe you’ve spent time online reading about curb
appeal, maybe your friends have given you advice about how to make your home brighter, or
maybe the advice has even come from your listing agent; regardless of the source, here are a
few outdated staging tricks you should NOT be using.

• Baking – While it’s a nice idea to have treats available, buyers know that the smell of
freshly baked cookies or bread is a trick, and they may be suspicious of any odors you’re trying to
mask. Based on feedback, visitors of Open Houses have reported that smelling baked goods has become mundane and unoriginal.

• Fresh Scents – Of course, it’s important that the home smells fresh; however, using
overpowering candles or room fresheners can be overwhelming and a major turn-off for patrons with sensitive sniffers. It’s better to open windows to allow a crisp breeze to enter the space, or perhaps place freshly cut flowers.

• Elevator Music – It might seem like a home filled with smooth jazz would lend a relaxing
feel, but it could have the opposite effect. Not only is it difficult to gauge the right
volume, but it’s outdated and corny. Technology is evolving faster everyday and that includes audio technology; the slightest imbalance in speaker function or quality can be extremely distracting for some who have a keen ear for music. 

• Matchy-Matchy – Matched sets and uniform color palettes will make a home feel
dated. Mix up the colors and patterns of pillows, bedspreads, and window treatments. Think of nice hotels for inspiration. 

• Holiday Decorations – If your home is listed during a holiday, keep decorations out of the mix. Less is more for decorations of any kind; keep the home clean and as much of a blank slate as possible. Remember that not everyone out there house hunting observes holidays. Those listing photos could come in use for months to come and holiday decor shows off the photos age - every day counts in this market!

Staging a home is an art. The best strategy is to consult with an expert. Your agent can offer
some suggestions for a professional stager who will make sure your home presents itself in the
best possible light.