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Guest post by: Kristen Heyen Noble Become an Author

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Home staging is not a trend, it's a necessity. National television has seen to that.

Unfortunately, the homes seen on popular home decorating and staging shows are going to be what many buyers expect to walk in to. I always stress to my real estate clients that a lot can be done for very little money through professional home staging and a little bit of elbow grease.

Staging a house before it goes on the market is critical. If you have already had your home on the market, you need to be objective and open minded to the feedback left from showings. If you ever hear the words cluttered, dirty, small, or outdated, you need to either lower your asking price significantly or get to work.

The philosophy that a buyer can purchase and then make a house their home, don't believe it. They need to be able to picture living in a house to give you a good purchase price. Each time an uninformed buyer views a potential house; don't count on them knowing the cost of cosmetic changes.

Today I am going to give some tips for kitchens and bathrooms. The condition of these rooms can make or break a sale.

Kitchens:

• 1. Clear off all the countertops
• 2. If you must have items on the countertops for day to day use, have a plan for last minute storage for these items. A large plastic bin works great. I had a client with a great idea! If you have a camper, use it for storage!
• 3. Do you have pleasant smelling cleaning products? Dollar General and The Dollar Tree are a great place to go for these!
• 4. Purchase new dish towels and pot holders for display purposes only
• 5. Replace your burner dripping
• 6. A bowl of fresh fruit is a great way to add a splash of color to your kitchen
• 7. Wipe down all kitchen cabinets.
• 8. Buyers will look inside your cupboards....how do yours look?
• 9. Clean off your kitchen table. If you have to use a tablecloth, don't use a plastic one.
• 10. Boil a glass of water with 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Walk around the kitchen with it for a great inviting smell.
• 11. If your kitchen has any wallpaper or a distinct color, paint a new neutral color. Wallpaper and borders are almost always a personal style that may not be a buyer's taste.

I'm going to focus on two rooms in the house that can make or break a sale.

Bathrooms:

• 1. Buy a new set of white towels for display purposes only.
• 2. Take a bathroom wipe and squeeze it in a spot that isn't readily seen. After that takes place, hide the wipe under a towel. Your bathroom will smell great.
• 3. If your grout is not bright white, either clean it thoroughly or put on a new layer of grout.
• 4. Remove everything from the inside of the shower/bath.
• 5. Have an empty garbage can for every showing
• 6. This room has to be spotless.
• 7. The sink vanity has to be empty except for smelly bath products and a candle.
• 8. Take a good look at your shower curtain. If it is not updated buy a new one. An inexpensive way to have a new shower curtain look is to purchase a single curtain panel for looks. Have a new clear shower liner for daily use. Push both the liner and the curtain to one side of the tub for showings.
• 9. Paint a neutral color

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