When it comes to thinking like a buyer, it all starts with staging. According to the National Association of Realtors 2019 home staging study, 83% of buyer's agents said staging made it possible for prospective buyers to see the property as if it were their home. The right staging can also increase the value/offers on your home as much as 20%. Staging is all about thinking like a buyer.

1. Don't get personal - You want to create a blank page where the prospective buyer can imagine their story taking place. Too many of your personal touches and decor take that away from the buyer. Pack up your wedding photos, sentimental items and bowling trophies because those are your story. When you think like a buyer, you create a blank space for them to begin writing their story.

2. Dump the clutter - Declutter and when you're done, declutter some more. The more you declutter, the easier it will be to create that blank page for buyers to daydream about living in the home.

3. Scrub it down - No one likes a dirty house--especially buyers. Give your whole house a good scrub down from floor to ceiling, inside and outside. Make sure to get every nook and cranny, every baseboard, every corner and every window and door. Make sure to keep an eye out for often overlooked details such as fingerprints on glass or appliances, hiding the pet supplies, taking out trash before every showing and stowing away small appliances. Buyers want to move into a home that is pristinely clean and sparkling.

4. Light it up - Light is a major key to attracting buyers. Use light and light colors to add brightness and airiness to your whole home. Switch to LED lightbulbs in Bright Daylight, replace dark curtains and throw pillows with fresh light-colored ones, lighten up beds with white or cream bed covers and make bathrooms bright with brand new fluffy white towels. Creating a space that is light and fresh is thinking like a buyer.

5. Use furniture to set the stage - Carefully select which furniture pieces to keep in the home and focus on arranging them well. You'll want furniture to seem like it is inviting and guiding the buyer through the home. Keep furnishings oriented to the door to greet the buyer and take them on a journey through the house without obstacles to trip them up.

Staging is all about thinking like a buyer. What would the buyer most want to see about the home and in the home? How can you create an environment that lets the buyer begin writing their own story in your home? The more they see themselves there, the greater the chances they'll connect with the home and make an offer.