December 04, 2009

Staging your home on a shoestring... the bathroom

Posted to Julie Sarton

When showing your home, the bathroom is definitely the room where cleanliness matters the most.  Buyers want to walk into a bathroom that literally sparklesand is as impersonal as a good quality hotel bathroom.  After scrubbing everything until it squeaks, including the ceramic wall tiles, tackle the rest by polishing the faucets, cleaning all the glass and mirrors, and using a squeegee on any shower doors.  Other tips to make buyers feel comfortable are:

  • Put away all personal toiletries so that surfaces are uncluttered.  No one wants to see your worn out toothbrush or what pills you take every day.
  • Have a fresh, unused bar of good smelling soap in a clean soap dish ready to bring out only for showings.
  • Pick up all rugs from the floor, and make sure your floors shine, as this conveys cleanliness.
  • Treat yourself to some new, fluffy towels and bring them out only for showings.  Once the house is sold, you can take them with you.  If your bathroom is a neutral color, make them a colorful, coordinated statement.
  • If you have room, a small dried flower arrangement, a bowl of potpourri, or a scented candle (match the new towels) can add some warmth and color.
  • Make sure the window treatments let light in and keep the toilet lid closed.
  • As in the other rooms, leave the lights on for the showing if possible.

Although it’s difficult to keep this room ready to show, it will pay off.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shown a home that buyers loved until they got to the bathroom and were turned off by tooth paste splotches in the sink and personal items everywhere.  A recent survey by HomeGain.com shows that home staging can result in one of the highest price increases to a home’s resale value and ranks second in a return on investment.  The #1 return on investment in this survey was cleaning and de-cluttering, the two pre-requisites to home staging.  For tips on staging the rest of your home, see: Getting Started, The Front Door, The Living Room, The Kitchen, and The bedroom.


Posted by:Julie Sarton

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