Seller Resources

Staging Tips for Sarasota & Manatee Counties Home Sellers

If you're gearing up to sell your Sarasota home, you should make sure it's ready to impress. After all, first impressions are important, and even the smallest trouble areas can turn a buyer off. Luckily, we're here to help. From polishing up the porch to cleaning the interior to putting on the finishing touches, here's everything you need to do to ensure your home is looking its best.

If you'd like a few more personalized suggestions, just give us a call! We'd be more than happy to do a walkthrough of your home and make a few specific recommendations.

The Exterior

Create Curb Appeal

Want buyers to come inside your home? Then they'll need to fall in love (or at the very least, be impressed) with the outside first!

Power wash your siding, replace outdated numbers, clean up cluttered porches, get rid of any weeds in the garden, and make sure the lawn is looking green and trim.

Make the Front Porch Welcoming

Even if your porch is small, it still has tons of potential to act as a warm and inviting space for buyers. If you have any outdoor furniture, dust it off and put out some new throw pillows, then add a hanging potted plant for a dash of color. You can also think about putting in a new welcome mat, for an extra dose of freshness!

Spruce Up Outdoor Areas

Here in Sarasota, the weather is pretty perfect almost year-round, which means buyers are going to be looking at the potential of your outdoor areas.

Don't forget to mow your lawn, trim any shrubs, and take a little extra time to make your garden looks nice.

Cleaning & Repairs

Clear Out the Clutter

Clutter doesn't just stress you out—it also sends a bad message to buyers. If you haven't started packing up your things already, now is your perfect chance. Not only will this help you speed up your move, but it'll also keep your space as clean and clear as possible for buyers.

Finish Maintenance Projects

The last thing a buyer wants is to inherit a bunch of to-do projects from your leftover list. If you've been putting off fixing that leaky faucet or repairing those dinged up shingles, be sure to get those projects done well-before buyers walk through your door.

Clean, Clean & CLEAN!

Maybe the most important part of the staging process? Cleaning. Clean every corner, crack, and crevice that buyers might see—from the stains in the corner of the carpet to the dust bunnies tucked under the couch. You never know where buyers will look, and you don't want them to be anything less than impressed!

Interior Decor

Depersonalize Your Decor

You might love your home's decor, but there's no guarantee that a buyer will feel the same way. As a rule of thumb, try to keep your space as depersonalized as possible. That means taking down family photos and school art projects, and replacing them with potted plants and generic paintings.

Create Balance with Furniture

What does your furniture say about your room? It has a bigger effect than you think! Couches arranged facing each other are conversational, while one too many chairs will make a room feel cramped. A desk in the spare room means potential for a home office, while a yoga ball and weights suggest an exercise space. Use your furniture to convey what you want buyers to feel!

The Final Details

Increase Your Lighting

Natural lighting is not only a mood-booster, but it also opens up your room to make them seem much larger! Luckily, we get plenty of sunshine in Florida, but if the weather isn't cooperating, be sure to make up for it by swapping out your bulbs for warmer wattage and incorporating a few extra lamps in darker corners.

Bring the Outdoors In

A great way to keep your decor neutral? Incorporate the outdoors! Fill your bookshelves with potted plants, use flower vases to dot your mantle, and hang a few air plants on the blank spaces on the wall. You can even bring in some seasonal touches, like cinnamon branches in the fall and fresh flowers in the spring!

Your Sarasota Home Selling Resources

Staging your home, marketing to buyers, navigating negotiations—we'll be there every step of the way. If you're ready to sell your Sarasota home for top dollar, we're here to help! Take some time to browse a few more of the helpful resources we have to offer our sellers, and give us a call whenever you're ready to get started.

Dennis G. Kotaska LLC