One of the most important processes to go through once you decide to list your home is staging. Nothing can steer a potential buyer away faster than a cluttered, messy home without curb appeal. Now is the time to showcase the best aspects of your home. Here are a few tips to consider when staging your home.
- Consider what made you fall in love with your home. Was it the natural light, the neighborhood, the views? Now, make these something that the buyer focuses on as well. Make sure the view is cleared, the windows are clean and unobstructed, etc.
- De-Clutter! Listing your home is the perfect time to purge. Clean out closets, get rid of unused clothes and toys and make sure that you keep your home nice and neat. It’s important to remember not every buyer is talented at visualizing the home as theirs, so it’s your job to make it easier.
- Curb Appeal – Make sure to keep your lawn neatly mowed, flower beds landscaped, and tree lines clean. The outside of your home is it’s first impression, make it a good one!
- Freshen Up – Staging is the perfect time to freshen up your painting scheme or touching up trouble areas such as doors, corners, and trim. It’s also the perfect time to remove/replace broken and worn out items. We are certainly not saying go out and spend a ton of money. Think about it, no throw pillows are better than stained ones!
- Spring Clean – Take time for a thorough spring cleaning. Make sure windows, doors, and walls are clean, hardwoods or tiles deeply cleaned, and carpets steam-cleaned. The cleanliness of a home is a clear indicator of how well maintained it is, so make the right impression.
- Decor with Buyer in Mind- Wild style may be your thing, but remember that is not necessarily true for potential buyers. It’s always best to choose fairly tame themes and colors throughout your home so buyer’s do not become turned off by the amount of painting or redecorating they may have to do. While completely redecorating is not at all necessary, refreshing throw pillows and adding a few nice pieces here and there is always a good idea.
- Remodeling is Not Always Necessary or Helpful – Many people think that investing a lot of money in a remodel will automatically increase their property value. This is not always the case. Make sure to get a broker’s opinion before investing the time and money. Nothing is more frustrating to a seller than losing money in their home, so check with a professional before taking the plunge.
- Make it Look Larger – While removing clutter already helps with this, make sure to consider this in room arrangement. Make sure to situate your furniture so it accentuates your home’s spaciousness.
- Natural Light – When preparing for an Open House or Showing, make sure to open blinds/curtains letting light shine in. Turn on lights in hallways and make your home feel inviting.
- Put Showing Preferences on Your Listing – If you have a large family, small children, or pets it will be a wise idea to put “By Appointment Only” on your listing, or request that your listing agent requires a bit of a notice. This way you have ample time to put your best foot forward. Make sure to give them plenty of time to look at your home and let them do so without your presence. It is also important to make sure pets are not left to run or roam free throughout the property – your potential buyers may have allergies or fear of animals. So make sure they are crated or contained to a specific part of the property and your agent is aware.
Now that we are ready to showcase your home at your very best, let’s work together and get it sold!
