Staging this space is most important.

Realtors have repeated two sayings for generations: “Location, location, location” and, “You will never get a second chance to make a first good impression.”

Simply put, first impressions matter.

These sayings are all true when selling a home, so putting your best foot forward at the getgo is key.

I prefer to stage all rooms, but if I had to choose a single room it would be the living room. Why?

It’s the first room in the house, so it must look its best. The living room will also be the room the homebuyers and their agent will circle back to after the tour.

The goal is to entice the buyers enough that they sit down on a cozy chair or comfortable sofa back in the living room and have a chat with their Realtor, while asking questions and discussing the elements of the house

If the clients sit down, it usually means they are feeling comfort and, at home.

Debbi DiMaggio, Highland Partners, 5104146777, debbi@thehighlandpartners.com.

The most important room is actually not in the home. The outside environment “vibe” is the new trend. Extensive hardscaping, comfortable fire pits and, of course, the full outdoor kitchen are now hallmarks of luxury rooms at the high end of the market.

We have found that postCOVID19 has emphasized home, safety and functional outdoor landscaped rooms. These spaces commonly have extensive stereo systems controlled by smartphones. Bonus if the outdoor sound system has a deeply planted subwoofer.

Sip and barbecue the night away as you dance in your most important room: the garden.

Staging these outdoor spaces can get very extensive.

We just finished a project where we removed an old asphalt driveway, installed an irrigation system and made a sizable amount of plantings.

I hold my breath on this type of staging due to the delicacy of the install. It’s not like centering a couch in a living room.

DJ Grubb, the Grubb Co., 5109100277, djgrubb@grubbco.com.

If there’s one thing we have learned during the COVID19 pandemic this past year, it’s just how important it is, to many of us, to have outdoor space in which to play, relax and restore.

Staging creates scenarios of possibility for life welllived in those spaces.

Decks, patios and gardens are the ideal place for staging to create images of rest and relaxation.

Outdoor dining tables with comfy chairs, chaise lounges and the everpopular fire pit all set the stage for easy enjoyment of the outdoors.

Enhancement of these areas creates the feeling of actual additional living space, making the house itself seem larger and more inviting.

So don’t neglect the garden when readying your home for sale. It’s more important than you might think.

We’ll meet you on the deck for a cool, refreshing lemonade.

Karen Starr, the Grubb Co., 5104146000, starr@grubbco.com; Brenda Schaefer, the Grubb Co., 5104532401, bschaefer@grubbco.com.