Let’s be honest: selling a home is a stressful undertaking. Even with a qualified agent on your side, there is hassle in having to keep the house pristine at all times, vacating your home for showings and hoping that an offer comes in. Because the process is so unpleasant, the best you can hope for is a speedy sale. But how can you do that when, as the homeowner, you have such limited involvement with the process of showing your home to potential buyers? While we were in the midst of a home sale, I came up with the idea to create a staging binder to give our house a voice of its own.
Rather than hovering over buyers like a creepy helicopter homeowner, I put together an informative binder that highlighted not only real estate hot selling points like an open floor-plan and gated community, but also the less obvious perks of life lived within the walls of a home we loved. Those details, I believe, are what truly set our home apart from the competition. Here’s a look at what I included in our home staging binder and some tools that will help you to create one of your own.
When prospective buyers first walked into the home, they saw this binder on a table with some other staged items. The idea was to stage an informative and welcoming entry vignette. Come along with me as I virtually turn the pages of our binder to give you a glimpse.
On the first page, we greet our guests and offer a bulleted list of some of the property’s selling points–things like the open floor-plan and 3-car garage. From there, we go through six categories of first-hand information that I thought would prove valuable to a potential buyer.
In the typical utility cost section, I share one year’s worth of billed amounts for electric, natural gas and water service to this property.
Next, I focus on schools. I simply printed the profiles of the appropriate elementary, middle and high schools from an online school rating website.
I also thought it would be helpful to point out how well we cared for and maintained the home. Sharing details about when the house was last painted or when appliances were serviced or replaced demonstrates to buyers that the home is in great condition.
I know that if I were the one doing the buying, I’d be curious about the neighbors. I’d want to know the demographics of the neighborhood, and whether or not there was an obnoxious yapping dog living next door (which, thankfully, there’s not!). This section offers that sort of insight to prospective buyers.
This is where the personal touch comes in. I included this section because I wanted to share some of the best parts of life in this house. Spring buyers might otherwise not consider how fun our once-yearly desert snowfall can be, or how perfect a backyard bonfire under the Harvest Moon is.
In the last section, I included a cleaned-up version of the floorplan that was given to us when we began the building process.
Just for fun, I also put in some photos of the home under construction.
Our relocation is at the forefront of my mind so I hope you don’t mind my sharing some of the process here on the blog. Expect it to continue in future posts! Next time, I think I’ll share a couple of the staged vignettes we’ve put together.
For those of you who’d like to create a staging binder like mine for your own home, simply download the following cover page and section title pages and then print them.
Printable cover page for home staging binder
Printable utility section title page for home staging binder
Printable schools section title page for home staging binder
Printable maintenance section title page for home staging binder
Printable neighbors section title page for home staging binder
Printable through the seasons section title page for home staging binder
You might also like:
5 vignettes every perfectly-staged home needs
WoW, I have to say we never saw anything like that in any homes we looked at! If I didn’t know you better, I’d say you have too much time on your hands. I’m sure your house will sell easily, but I’m not sure the realtors are going to approve of the Neighbors section.
The “Neighbors” category isn’t a gossip column or anything close to it! I printed off a profile of the neighborhood, including average income and age–that sort of thing. I also wrote a little bit about how our neighborhood hosts a block party and has done a neighborhood-wide yard sale in the past. It’s totally innocent! :)
I love this idea! It really gives a feeling of a well nurtured and cared for home. Neighbors Section . The neighbors are a selling point , everyone on our street has lived here for 15+ years. You cant put a price onTrust worthy & family like neighbors. Thanks for the ideas!
I was thinking about how realtors aren’t supposed to discuss neighborhood demographics, but if it comes from the seller maybe its okay.
Realtors can share demographics they cannot steer you to a specific area or discriminate. But it is important to share all the information that is available for the prospective community.
Talk to you Realtor about referencing anything about what you have in the neighbors section.
Very good!
You continue to surprise me with your intellect.
I think I know who you inherited it from but modesty forbids me from saying.
This is SO great! We are getting ready to list our house and I was thinking of leaving a printout of info to highlight our house and the low energy bills but this is so much more and beyond what I could have imagined! I think living in a rural area that the “neighborhood” has thrown buyers off in the past. I’d love to be able to settle some anxieties for potential buyers and let them know the neighbors are friendly and quiet and that the area is all families and kids and a great place to live! Thanks for sharing this idea and I hope you have success!!!
this is great!
I was wondering if you have copies of your title pages? I live this idea and can’t wait to see more!
As a realtor, I love your book, we are not allowed to comment on neighbors but the owner can, so including this as the owner and telling about the block parties etc. is wonderful.
Great idea!! We are currently selling, and this would be a great addition! I am in Huntsville, so if you are still looking for a place, shoot me an email! :)
You might want to leave some menus of local restaurants for a quick meal as they move in, should they decide to buy your home.
I love that idea. We live in a small town with no pizza places. A neighboring town 8 miles away delivers. People are surprised we can have pizza deliver in the middle of nowhere.
Hi! This is great, my house is going on the market this week, would you be willing to share the front page of your binder the helpful hints, love the fonts!
Thank you!
Darcie, this is a great idea!! Would you be at all willing to share a pdf or some other format of the cover pages?? Thanks you so much!!
Hi there! Love the font! Would you be able to share the document for me to use as a template for the sale of my home? Thanks you so much!
Sure, Carl. I’ve updated the post to include a link to a free printable pdf of the cover page. Good luck with your home sale!
Would you be willing to share the pdf title pages too? I love these
Any chance you would be willing to share the title pages for each section? I love the simple text choice along with the graphics.
I think this is going to be my next project. Not only is it a good sales tool, it’ll be an excellent resource for the next owner … especially the maintenance section to reference the private well pump replacement in 2014, etc. Love the idea of showing ‘before’ pictures, too; they provide a sense of history and progression. ;)
Darcie, awesome job on the binder. I appreciate the organization and the style. Would you mind sharing the font you used for your pages? I do hope this binder helps sell my home and brings me some more peace during this stressful process. I, too, will be relocating to another state for my husbands job, so wish me luck! Cheers!
Your notebook is the closest I have found while looking for a recent maintenance worksheet. While we aren’t planning on moving anytime soon, I think it would be great to keep a folder of this for future reference. Would you be willing to share the page of the home maintenance worksheet, not just the cover page? Or maybe just tell us what information you included on the page? Thanks!
I’d love to get a copy of all of the pages. I would also be willing to pay for it. Please let me know if you can help!
We listed our home with a realtor for 6 months and no bites which seemed odd since it was a beautiful home and I would hear that from everyone! So who better to sell the house than yourself! You know all the little stories and things you loved while living there. I also had a huge album of the house from the wooded lot to the final production. People loved that. You should try to sell yourself. Save realtor fees! Great idea on the book and good luck!!
Count me among those who are asking for printable section/title pages, or at least the fonts that were used. :-)
I definitely plan on using this idea when we list our house! Thank you for sharing your ideas!
Any chance you would be willing to share the title pages for each section?
I love everything about it :)
I’ve just staged my house and love your idea. Would you be willing to share the title pages for each section? I would like to organize a binder before my weekend open house. THANK YOU!!
I prepared a notebook such as this for our last home and it was a great selling feature.
Neighborhood Section – outlined the properties along with a link to the public tax records for our area.
Home Section – I included a layout of the property from the health department of where the sceptic system was installed. Plus paint, carpet, and tile samples from when we remodeled.
Maintenance Section – I included business cards of all the people who had worked on the home (electrician, plumber, yard service, tree service, fence company, garage door servicing, furnace & a/c service, etc. as well as the window washing service) Plus I left a bin of all the manuals for all the appliances.
Schools Section – I not only listed the schools and their contact numbers but also where the bus stops were and a link to check for school closing during bad weather.
Seasons Section – I included pictures of the home through the seasons to showcase various flowers (like the circular driveway ringed with daffodils)
I received a nice thank-you from the new owners for providing all the details and how much more secure they felt knowing how well me maintained the home.
Thanks for all those ideas!
How do you and family like Alabama? I’m from a small town about 40 miles south of Huntsville. Cullman will always be home. We are currently in Richmond VA and planning a trip home in December.
As a listing agent I put a book very similar to yours together for my clients. I absolutely include the neighborhood demographics. A couple of things you may consider adding would be Local “hotspots” and activities that are available near by and a recent land survey if available. I prepare my book for the “unprepared” agent that might be showing the property in a spur-of-the-moment situation.
Great idea…much too lazy to do it, though.
Blown away at the detail, and such great informatation. I usually walk with a huge board that has info pinned on it. Now i can just put everything in one binder and move on.
Thanks for the tips.
Thank you! Can you share your Hello page? Do you have templates for the information within each section? How did you get your school profile information for the local schools?
I am definitely going to use your notebook guidelines. I would think this would be a great way for a prospective buyer to get all this information in one precise area. I may even make a hand out if they want it of utilities and pertinent info like this!!! Love it !!!!
I agree with this, I would make a few “take home ones” pre-stapled, and provided at the back of the book. This way when the person(s) go back home and review the houses they looked at they can be like “THIS one we have almost exact numbers for what to expect”, can review the floor plan “oh I didnt realize there was a closet there”, etc.
I recently spoke to my realtor about the binder she said it’s a great idea!!!! She said to include things like dates of the work done, who did it also to include paint sample colors so new owners can match if needed. Super excited to do.
This is really helpful. Thanks for sharing this information!
Thank you so much for sharing this great idea! I used this template when we sold our home last year. Instead of “The Neighbors,” I had a section for “The Neighborhood” and included stuff about cookouts, a community garage sale, and the average number of Trick-or-Treaters. :-) Instead of construction info, as our house was 40+ years old, I included a timeline of updates and renovations. Our buyer really loved this.
HELLO…I too am curious about the font used especially at the top of the pages. I love the very thin and clean line for “HELLO”. Thank you,
I have a pool if put down where we buy supplies and maintenance. If you have landscapers or handymen maybe put a repairs section and maintenance section with business cards and receipts from repairs and cost. I’d put gas and electric graph of monthly costs, maybe some carryout and local events flyers in a getting to know the neighborhood and schedule for garbage pick up and etc.. I will be listing my house working 60 days and I will use this idea but not neighbors if put in a “greeting to know YOUR neighborhood” section
I am a new agent, going to sign my first listing tonight (hopefully). I found this idea so helpful, taking it with me. Just wanted to say thank you!
Would you be willing to email me the entire book (with your personal info blocked out etc). I’d be willing to also pay for them. Heck you should offer a pdf example slide w a payment! Youd have good interest. This is a wonderful idea. We are military we move around ALOT and to have this for our 1st home selling will definitely make an impact. Thank you for such an awesome idea and please let me know about the slides!
If you scroll all the way to the end of the post, Lauren, you’ll find links to downloadable/printable files for all title pages as well as the cover. Good luck with your sale!
I love the detail and organization you put into the binder, and appreciate the links to the pages. May I get the verbiage you used for the HELLO page? I’d like to model it after what you have, I just can’t read it and didn’t see a link. Many thanks!
I would also love to see the pages beyond the cover pages for each section! It’s a great idea!!! :)
Would you be willing to post your Hello letter?
I would if I could find it, Katie! I don’t have it anymore, unfortunately.