Staging your Loudoun County Townhouse for Your Real Estate Sale

One of the key components to a quick townhouse sale is home staging. Many agents completely overlook this crucial step in the selling process. Some of the primary things that occur during staging include: new carpet or paint (only if necessary), rearranging furniture, and eliminating anything that inhibits the potential buyer from imagining themselves as the owner of your townhouse.

We are very skilled at assisting townhouse owners with the staging process. When we come over to initially evaluate the townhouse, we will take a little time to suggest things that may improve your chances for a quicker sale. This is part of our belief that we should be honest in our dealings with all clients. This foundation has grown our business over the years.

Sometimes, it's harder to understand what the problem areas are with your personal townhouse, so we try to present the home, as a HOMEBUYER will see it, because we work with so many townhouse buyers throughout the area and in all price ranges. Our recommendations may cost a bit of money upfront, but we usually try to make suggestions that will benefit your bottom line later or increase your chances of selling.

A few questions you should attempt to evaluate:

• Is my carpet too old/worn/dirty to be appealing to someone about to purchase a townhouse?
• Could our furniture be rearranged or could I store some of it for a short time to make our rooms seem larger?
• How much clutter is there on the counters of my kitchen or bathroom? How much could I put away or do without for an afternoon of showings?
• Should I consider a fresh coat of paint?
• Are there any minor (or major) repairs that I need to take care of before I put a "FOR SALE" sign in the yard?

We are also willing to show you some of your competition (i.e. other townhouses nearby that are also for sale) in order to give you a good idea of what buyers are seeing along with your townhouse.

"If it smells, it won't sell." That's a common phrase I hear from real estate professionals, and as blunt as it may sound, it's true. Smelling sensations are so innate to our systems that potential buyers may not be able to pinpoint precisely what was unappealing about a townhouse. Upon further analysis, it usually turns out to be something they smelled.

Ideas to tackle bad smells and bring in fresh and appealing scent. Try these steps before your showings begin.

Painting - Complete painting projects two or three weeks before you open your townhouse to showings. While it gives the paint time to dry and relieves that initial cloying smell, the remnants of fresh paint linger in the air for several weeks. Much like a "new car smell," buyers say it conjures images of new, fresh townhouses.

Carpet Cleaning - Shampoo your rugs and carpets, stem to stern, at least two weeks in advance. Then let your home "air out" to dissipate the musty smell that some carpets have while drying.

Furniture Polish - Apply a lemon-scented furniture polish to wood surfaces to give your furniture a pristine look and create a lingering, homey scent.

Eliminate Odors - If you smoke, cook regularly with oils or battle strong pet odors (especially cats), consult with a professional cleaning service about odor removal. Don't just try to "cover up" these odors. A heavy, masking scent doesn't eliminate the smell; it just leaves buyers wondering what you're trying to hide.

Moving out the bad smells and bringing in the good is crucial to the sale of your home. It's important to eliminate bad odors rather than trying to conceal them with a heavy dose of scents and air fresheners. A townhouse that reeks of freshener may leave prospective buyers wondering what you're trying to hide, so remember to use a light touch.

Air Freshener - Discretely position an air freshener near the front door. As soon as your prospects walk in, they immediately sense cleanliness and caring.

Carpet Freshener - Vacuum with a powdered carpet freshener.

Incense Incenses - Most people are turned off by the smell of incense. It can be a bit too cloying and strong.

Lemon Freshener - Use a prepackaged drain freshener or grind a bit of lemon rind in your kitchen's garbage disposal to sweeten the drain.

Cedar Accents - Cedar's distinguishable scent, detected upon opening any closet door, denotes cleanliness.

Fall Scents - Who can resist the warm and inviting aroma of hot mulled apple cider or mulling spices! Simmer a batch a few hours before a showing, and then allow it to cool well out of reach.

The Clincher - Bake a few cookies or a fresh loaf of bread just before showings. It's easy if you keep ready-to-bake bread and cookies in your freezer. The aroma of freshly baked treats turns a townhouse into a warm and inviting townhouse.

Staging is the very best proven way to get top dollar for your home as you prepare it for sale. Townhouses that are staged using our techniques sell faster and for more money! This is because staging sets the scene throughout the townhouse to create immediate buyer interest in your property. This will then lead to your townhouse selling for the highest possible price in today's market. Remember, "The way you live in your townhouse, and the way you market and sell your townhouse are two different things." If you need any pointers in staging don’t hesitate to e-mail us at FasterSales@VirginiaIsForTownhomes.com. Let us show you how to sell your home faster and for top dollar!