6 easy ways to make your property more appealing to buyers part 5 of 6

Decide from the doorway. Since would-be buyers will get their first impression of each room from the doorway, homeowners should use that perspective to judge their staging work. Do your work, go back to the doorway. Do some more, go back to the doorway. That way, you'll be better able to ensure that each room appeals to buyers.

6 ways to make your property more appealing to buyers part 4 of 6

Work in ones or threes. We recommend arranging items on top of hard surfaces in ones or threes. You would place three items—say, a lamp, a plant, and a book—on top of a larger hard surface, like an end table. "If you take away the plant and the book, it's too bare. "[But if] you put 10 things on it, it's overdone." The three items should be closely grouped together in a triangle shape. "I draw a triangle for my clients. For hard surfaces with less area, however, a single item will do.

6 easy ways to make your property more appealing to buyers part 3 of 6

Balance hard and soft surfaces. When staging a particular room, it's essential to have a good balance of hard surfaces, such as a coffee-table top, and soft surfaces, like a carpet. For example, a room with a cushy, 7-foot-long sofa, a love seat, and four La-Z-Boy recliners has too many soft surfaces and not enough hard surfaces. "It's all too heavy." Instead, consider getting rid of the La-Z-Boys and the love seat, replacing them with two wingback chairs. "If you have hardwood floors but no rugs, it's too hard," ….So you want to add a rug.