Staging tips: what little things made you fall in love with your home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The owner’s little cat followed us around during our showing and it made me feel cozy and at home. It just seemed like a happy home.

Ew cats.

Forever urine scent and dander in the house. Automatic deal breaker.

I would never stage/show a house with a cat in it, but something is wrong with your cat (or your cat ownership) if the result is "forever urine scent."

I've sold two homes that had cats living in them for years and there was no scent at all and I can't imagine where any cat dander would have been able to hang out? No carpet. We moved the cat (and the litter) out of the house well before selling and had it professionally cleaned. It's not like with cigarette smoke where it can just live in the house for years, unless you had a cat that peed on the floor constantly?

[Anonymous]

There was a tabletop water fountain in the master bedroom. I remember looking out the window (lovely view of trees), listening to the water and feeling very peaceful.

[Anonymous]

Things I love- fireplaces, French doors, cozy pillows and blankets, some plants.

[Anonymous]

Paint it all one color and make sure everything is in good condition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I prefer empty houses. The things that most impress me are thorough cleaning and fresh paint.

+1

Totally turned off by staging. It's not how people live. I want to see where you put the kitchen trash can. Where does the TV go? Space in the hallway for shoes and coats.

Either empty (so I can envision) or keep as you live there.

+2. I bought my house (brand new spec home by a custom builder) after seeing it with no furniture. The builder had at some point staged it with some living room furniture but cheaped out by taking low quality pics. We got lucky by seeing through that, and got it for a steal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just bought a house, and have been going to open houses every weekend. One small thing that I noticed was that almost every professionally staged house seemed to have a cookbook on the counter in the kitchen. Like not lying on the counter, like displayed in one of those holders that holds the cookbook up. I noticed it, and there was something about it that made me want to be in that kitchen. I’m not sure what it is, psychology-wise, but the professional stagers have figured it out and are all doing it.
.

This!
I sold a condo in one day with multiple offers above listing and price of the mirror image condo 2 weeks before. Both condos were empty.

I cleaned and cleaned.
Kitchen: Some aspirational art work, large poster of Eiffel Tower, French cookbook, little coffee center, black white runner, cute kitchen towels, bowl with Godiva chocolate- and I replaced a nice white fridge with a crappier black smug lookalike.
Bathroom, new illuminated mirror, soaps, candle, fluffy towels, new shower curtain and toilet seat
Living room Books and wine boxes in built in shelves
Some art work and big plants

[Anonymous]

I was impressed by hardwood floors everywhere except for the bathrooms and plantation shutters. I’ve paid for these to be installed in my old house and know how expensive it is.