Home Staging Tips That Work

If you want to sell your home fast then get it staged properly! Staging your house correctly can make all the difference when you’re selling your property. If you choose to hire a Realtor, they will help you through the process of making your home look it’s very best!

Keep in mind it is not necessary to spend a ton of money by hiring a professional home stager. You can do all of these things yourself. People often ask, does home staging work? The answer is yes, making your home look its best does work.

BUT staging is certainly a DIY task that doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out. Your real estate agent should be able to help you present your home in the best possible fashion. If they can’t, then you have the wrong agent.

Take a look at some of the best staging tips to get you started with the process.

Increase your curb appeal

The ultimate first impression is outside of the home. Do this by making sure your home is adequately landscaped, with beautiful flowers planted, as it can be extremely pleasing to the eye. It will make your home much more appealing if your walkway is power washed, the lawn is freshly mowed, and any siding or shutters are newly painted or cleaned.

When buyers an unkempt house that looks dirty from the outside, it may not pique their interest about what is on the inside. Alternatively, a home that looks neat, tidy, and well-taken care of will undoubtedly appeal to a range of buyers.

Make sure you pay some extra attention to the front door area as buyers will definitely put some focus on it.

Focus on the first impression

You live in your home, and since you see it every day, you likely won’t recognize what the first thing a stranger would notice coming through your doors. Enlist the help of friends, family, and your realtor to help determine what the focal point of your home is, and work on embellishing that.

A beautiful first impression can help increase the perceived value of your home, and it will often result in a faster sale.

Declutter where needed

Making sure your home is decluttered can have a significant impact on creating a solid first impression. A cluttered home looks messy, even if it’s relatively organized. Clearing out excess will help an interested home buyer focus on the house itself without the extra “stuff.”

It might feel impossible to declutter every room, especially a kids’ bedroom, but it will help make your home look more spacious as well.

A quick tip: breaking up your home into small, defined areas to take on the task of decluttering, which will help ensure you don’t get overwhelmed. Start in one room and move to the next once it’s complete. Use “keep,” “donate to charity,” “find a new home,” and “trash” piles to help you stay organized during the process.

Natural light helps your sale

Making your home look light and airy can be a massive benefit to many home buyers, and can also have an effect on the overall perceived size of your home. People want to have the option of natural light and beautiful windows, and opening all your blinds and curtains can do just that. You can even swap out your light bulbs for a brighter white shade to help add some brightness to your home.

Make sure it’s spotless

There may not be a better occasion to hire a cleaning company! You want your home to be immaculate because you never know where a home buyer may look. You can’t assume they won’t rub their finger along your door frames, just to be appalled by two years worth of dust. A professional cleaner has the attention to detail that is needed to prepare a staged home.

Fresh Paint is a smart move

Often our homes are decorated in a way that represents our personal sense of style. But if your home is painted a color that is close to your heart, and it’s not neutral, you might want to consider a fresh coat of paint. You want the potential buyer to picture themselves in your home as their own, so bright red or blue walls might deter them.

A neutral brown or grey makes the house feel like a blank canvas that they can use to create their own masterpiece.

Depersonalize where you can

Removing your family photos can actually make a significant impact on potential home buyers visualizing your home as theirs. When you depersonalize the space, you are allowing the homebuyer another opportunity to view the area as a blank canvas.

Rearrange your furniture

You may need some assistance with this one. Rearranging your furniture can take some finesse, and you may want to even remove some furniture from important spaces, like your living room. If you remove about half your furniture from your main rooms, the area will look much more prominent. This can get tricky, as you’re still living in your home, but tips from a realtor can help you with this task.

Add some little extras

Those little details that add something different to your home versus every other home they will view that day are essential. Fresh, fragrant flowers, a bowl of fresh fruit, clean linens that smell like they’re fresh out of the dryer are all very little things, but they can make a significant impact.

If you can make a potential homebuyer feel warm and fuzzy, you have made an impact. Some homeowners even go the extra mile and bake fresh cookies before a showing, just to make their house feel more like home for potential buyers.

Keep your pets away

They may be your fur babies, but some people just don’t like pets, or they may be allergic. You may not notice the smell that animals contribute to your home, but someone who doesn’t have pets will notice immediately. During any showing you may have, it’s crucial for them to be vacant as well.

Even if they are locked up, most dogs will still bark if they hear someone enter their home, and that can be off-putting to some people. It’s also recommended to remove any trace of them by putting their bowls and beds away. Take your dog for a walk during the showing, or bring your cat to a family member’s house for the time being.

Final thoughts on getting your home sold quickly

Small changes like the ones listed about don’t have to take a lot of time or energy, and they can even lead to a higher sale price of your investment! Selling your home doesn’t have to be a stressful process. If you want to sell your house fast, the help of these tips will get you well on your way. You want to avoid making common mistakes when selling your home as well, so pay attention to best practices.

Other Articles Worth Reading

When buying or selling a home, you can never be too educated on the process. Have a look at some additional quality resources.

• What should I know about moving – when buying or selling a house, moving is one of the most stressful parts. See what you need to know about moving before you prepare for your next journey.
• What to know about student loans – are you interested in buying a home but have been bogged down with student loans? See some of the most essential aspects of getting your student loans paid off quicker to be in a better position to become a homeowner.

Use these additional resources to make sound business decisions.

About the author: The above article on home staging tips was written by Laura Sulborski. Laura is a real estate entrepreneur who works tirelessly for her clients. As a result, her clients know that their interests come first and enjoy the peace of mind that experience, integrity, relationships, and unsurpassed professionalism offer. Laura has studied and traveled extensively internationally and earned a Master’s Degree from Columbia University.