Top 13 Staging Mistakes You Didn’t Even Know You Were Making

1. Art hung too high. The center of the art should be about 62” above the floor, which is a comfortable eye level for most people.

2. The area rug is too small. The rug should be large enough for at least the front legs of the sofa and chairs to be on it. That means at least an 8’x10’ for most normal-sized living rooms. 5’x7’ will look skimpy and bring down the perceived value of the home.

3. Too much excess furniture. Always allow at least 36” of walk space.

4. Intense paint colors. Keep it light and neutral. This is not the time to express yourself.

5. A sea of beige. Yawn. While keeping the walls and floors neutral, add some pops of color in the pillows, accessories, art, and flowers.

6. Withering plants. The perception is that if you can’t maintain a plant, you probably haven’t maintained the HVAC, water heater, etc.

7. Skipping the holiday bonus for your cleaning lady. Everything must be white-glove, sparkly, spotless - from the baseboards to the ceiling fans and everything in between.

8. Showing the home vacant. Buyers spend more time in staged homes, and the longer you can get them to hang around, the more likely they are to make an offer.

9. Allowing pets to remain in the home for showings. Remove every trace of pets, including your furry friends, themselves. Some buyers will start sneezing just at the sight of a chew toy.

10. Displaying personal photos, diplomas, and memorabilia. You want buyers to focus on the home, and not be distracted trying to calculate if you were in the same class as their cousin who attended your alma mater.

11. De-cluttering by jamming everything into the closets. Storage space is high on your buyer’s list. If there is not enough room for your stuff, they know there will not be enough room for their stuff.

12. Neglecting the patio area. Outdoor living is trending on the priority lists for today’s buyers. Create an irresistible stay-cation ambiance.

13. Offering a carpet allowance. Go ahead and make whatever repairs and updates are needed. Buyers are as busy as you are and will opt for the hassle-free, move-in-ready dream home.