How to properly stage your Montana real estate

So you are trying to sell in this market. It can be tough IF you don't know how to stage and get the buyers attention. The following are some tips to make your home stand out above all the others out there on the market right now.

• Check out the competition

First things first. Take a drive on a weekend through open houses or check photos online and check out your competition. See how others are doing, where they are failing and how you can benefit from their failed staging or no staging attempts.

• Keep things neutral.

Check the paint colors. Any bright colors will need to go. Check out model homes of new developments. This is what buyers are looking for. Make sure the buyers could potentially just move right in, furniture, decorations and all. Take down wall paper, borders and bold colors.

• Pack away all photos and personal items

Keep all your collections, nick nacks and personal items out of site and packed away. You don't want buyers distracted by clutter or your things. You want them to see the square footage and the clean open area. It's the home you are selling, not your personal belongings.

• Clean, clean, clean

Hire a maid service if you have to but your home needs to be spotless at all times. Not just from dirt, lint and mildew but the lines of the home as well. Clean, open entrances, sparkling, sweet smelling bathrooms and bright open kitchens.

• Keep rooms for what they were meant for.

Don't put a desk in the living room or dining room. Keep the room for what it was originially designed for. Make sure there are no vacant rooms. A bonus room can easily be an office, bedroom or den. (Learn more about selling from my Ephrata Washington real estate connection)

• Fresh flowers and live plants

This can make a world of difference. Be sure to purchase new flowers before showings and during open houses. Keep live plants watered and trimmed of any dead leaves. Fake plants can collect dust and just bring down the overall quality of a room. (For more information on selling in this market visit Enterprise AL real estate agent Sonya Partridge)

With these simple tips in mind, you can be sure your home will stand apart from all the others in the Bozeman MT real estate market.