Depersonalizing your home is so important when it becomes time to list your home. First get rid of all personal items. You do not want buyers looking at personal photos or items, you want them focusing on the space in the home. Get rid of any collections any more than 3 items is a collection!!
I was just with a buyer this past weekend (this is a true story). When she asked about homes we just viewed I had to identify each home by the personal items in the home and not the home itself... it was the only way she remembered. She was more focused on the family photos and personal items. Easy enough to bring their attention back to the home by removing the personalization.
Anyone who is
familiar with Home Staging, has heard the term "De-Personalize".
Basically, it means to remove personal objects. A potential buyer
should be able to identify with a home and "too personal" objects can
be a turn off. I think it's important to note that de-personalizing
does not mean stripping a home of it's contents so that it appears a
barren wasteland. There is a happy medium of not too much and not too
little that makes potential buyers feel right at home. This delicate
balance can be tricky to achieve. I advocate the following:
- Bland and Boring does not sell houses!
- If an object is something that not everyone in general would love, remove it.
- If it is a beautiful, valuable and "universally accepted" object, keep it!
- If something conveys status, wealth, security, comfort, intelligence, keep it!
- Anything potentially controversial, remove it.
Potentially controversial items include the following; Religious
objects, Political statements, Pornography, Alcohol related
paraphenalia (excessive) and my personal favorite, Taxidermy!
These are photographs of a actual job that I staged a while back but
they are perfect examples of a space that required de-personalizing.
The owner was a good sport and knew it was in his best interest to
stage his "Man Cave". The color in the room was his own personal
statement created by mixing two half cans of leftover paint!
Man Cave Before Staging
Man Cave After Staging
In this particular case, the home sellers opted to do the work
themselves, following a punch list I provided with new paint color etc.
While I think they did an admirable job, and their home did indeed
sell, it could have been even better had I completed the staging.
Allegra Dioguardi, Sag Harbor NY 631-899-3305
Website: Styled and Sold Home Staging
Home Staging Course: Staging Training by Design
Home Staging E-Book: Styled by Design