One of the things you have probably heard about when it comes to selling a home is a very important process called “staging.” Staging is what you do to make your home as presentable and appealing as possible to the potential buyers.

The first question home sellers usually ask me is, “What do we do to stage and how much does it cost?” How much it costs depends on your home and what it needs but typically it is a minor investment. Let me give you an example: Mary loves wallpaper and has used it in the living room and the kitchen. Odds are, very few people are going to love Mary’s wallpaper. It will need to be removed and the walls freshly painted in neutral colors. Jane painted her kitchen and living room seven years ago and the colors are very deep and bold. Again, the odds of the potential buyer liking Deep Forest Green and Wild Moss in the kitchen are minimal. The rooms will need repainted in soft, neutral colors. Both Mary and Jane need to freshen their living rooms and kitchens. Mary’s will cost more because of the wallpaper removal. What staging will cost depends on the home but the cost is typically minimal compared to the benefit of a higher sold price.

Neutral colors, soft whites, light greys are the most popular colors to repaint because the light color makes the room seem bigger and brighter and allows the buyer to add their own touches.

As for what to do to stage the home, the two biggest things you can do to give yourself an advantage are 1) de-clutter and 2) de-personalize.

Years ago there was a famous writer who lived in Washington D.C. and wanted to sell his home. As his Realtor was walking through his home to give him tips on what to do, the Realtor saw a picture of the man and his wife shaking hands with the President. It was definitely a proud moment in their lives. The Realtor pointed to it and said, “Put that out of sight.” The seller objected, “But we are meeting the President!” The Realtor responded, “Exactly. And if a buyer likes the President, they will like the picture. If the buyer dislikes the President then they will dislike the picture. But in either case, the buyer is now thinking about the picture and not your house. Your house is where we want their attention.”

That is your number one guiding principle: Do what you can to keep the attention on the home.

So go through your house and remove anything that will divert the seller’s attention. Family pictures, interesting art, items from travel excursions. . . all should be put away.

We see with two eyes and that gives us depth perception. The best way to see clutter is to look through the lens of a camera, or by looking through a tube held up to one eye with the other eye closed. Looking without depth makes clutter more evident. Once you see it, remove as much as possible from countertops and visible shelves. Put away those piles of things. Get rid of the old boxes stacked in the corner. Make sure the sink areas have minimal objects left in sight. (Soap is okay).

Toys put away. Clothing put away. Clothes closets as empty as possible. Any overly large pieces of furniture removed from social rooms to make them appear bigger. These are all things that will allow the buyer to see their possessions in place and make your home more appealing.

Staging is in essence showing off the best attributes of each area. Make sure that furniture is not oversized for the room it is in. That makes the room look smaller. Adding fresh flowers in pots to the entrance, making sure the lawn is neat and trimmed, making sure appliances are spotless in the kitchen and laundry areas. . . these are all things that should be done to make your home more fresh and attractive to the buyer.

These are general guidelines. I always walk through with my sellers so that we always highlight the best parts and remove anything negative that might detract from the home’s appeal. It may seem drastic on paper but the goal is NOT to empty the house. (You never want a completely empty house). Our goal is to make everywhere the buyer looks to be the most attractive visually and emotionally as it can be.

As much as we want your home to be as bright and spacious as possible, we need some things present for the buyer to have perspective. (And for you to still live comfortably).

Staging a room is what you do to show off its best characteristics but if you cannot (like in an empty home) and you do not want to hire a professional staging company, adding a few pieces of furniture should be your least effort to help the buyer see themselves in your home.

In an empty living room the buyer has no idea (from looking) what they can do. But if you add just an easy chair, a side table and a standing lamp, the buyer can visually imagine their sofa as the same size as three chairs and place the sofa where it might go. I had a empty master bedroom once that when we added a queen sized bed it became evident that a king would easily fit. Furniture, sometimes even one piece, will give needed perspective.

One thing to bear in mind when it comes to staging, or any other part of the sales process, is that when you deal with me and the One Bay Area Agent Team you are dealing with professionals who will guide you every step of the way to make sure your home will sell in the fastest way and for the highest amount the market will allow.😎

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What’s this Blog for?

Before I started my career as a real estate agent, I found it quite difficult to find informative articles or websites that provided accurate information catered towards selling and buying houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yes, there are some out there, but those are not catered specifically towards the Bay Area. Sometimes, even tips and facts regarded as common knowledge aren’t applicable and outdated from a Bay Area perspective. My original intention of starting this blog, was to help shed some light on the seemingly inscrutable real estate market. As a real estate agent who has been practicing for several years, I wanted to provide accurate and relevant information to those who might be interested in buying or selling a home.

If you’re curious and want to learn more about buying and selling in the San Francisco Bay Area, then this website might be a good starting point to gain some insight.

Who Am I?

My name is Chiuho Lin. I first found my calling for real estate in 2016, while I was looking for a new home in the San Francisco Bay Area. I found myself inexplicably drawn to this profession and after meeting over one hundred real estate professionals, I made the decision to become a real estate agent myself. To me, being a real estate agent is rewarding not only because I love meeting new people, but also because I have the privilege of helping them start their new chapter and make their vision a reality.

What Is My Promise?

If you are interested in selling, then the process would start from an initial consultation, to price assessments, market analysis, repair advice, time-to-market recommendations, staging assessment, style selection, housing listings, posters, social media promotion, marketing media selection, follow-up on house delivery. I will be active and present in the entire process to make sure everything goes smoothly.

If you are interested in buying a house, again as an agent I can promise you that I will be present in all stages of the buying process. This includes everything from consultations to address all your concerns, investigating real estate to find a home that suits all your needs, visiting the houses, providing insights on the neighborhood, assessing the current conditions of the homes that may require additional attention, read various reports filled with technical jargon, to helping you understand contracts. I ensure quality care and commitment in the entire process from start to finish.

As a professional, I take pride in my work ethic and ensure the utmost care and consideration while working with all my clients. I’d like to consider myself a trusted advisor to ensure a phenomenal experience throughout your buying/selling process. With that being said, if you ever need a professional consultation or assistance with anything – for example, gardening/landscaping, property manager property lawyer, paint master, decorator, roof repair master, loan broker, registration accountant – feel free to reach out. I am genuinely passionate about what I do and hope that I can help share my knowledge with you all.

Chiuho Lin DRE#02007082
Keller Williams Thrive DRE#02177478