To Stage or not To Stage is a controversial question that sellers ask in the current real estate market at Lake Oconee. Many sellers resist changing any detail of their home as they get ready to list it for sale. I interpret this stubborn attitude as an emotional reluctance to let go of the private haven that they have created. The best analogy that I learned in my staging training is to compare selling a home to selling a car. What is the first thing you do in preparing to sell your car? You remove your parking, carpool, and bumper stickers, (even the rearview mirror tree-shaped deodorizers) and have the car detailed, inside and out! To get the best price for your car, you make your car appealing to the most buyers. Yet, many sellers balk at removing their beer mug or doll collection, and refuse to have the outside windows professionally cleaned.
Yes, when a home is perfectly staged, it seems impersonal and neutral, and is move-in ready.
Some motivating remarks I direct to the potential sellers are:
- “Just think, when you pack up your personal and collectible items, you are getting a head start on the inevitable chore of packing !”
- “The more unused items you donate or sell now, the less you will have to pay later to move or store them.”
- “You have to stop thinking of your home as your personal showplace, and think of it as a product you want to sell.”

- Clean your home thoroughly, inside and out.
- Complete all repairs and unfinished projects.
- Remove excess clutter and personal items that may distract buyers.
- Manicure the yard and outdoor areas
- Repaint neutral colors over “taste-specific” bright wall colors
