Are you wondering if it’s worth the time and effort to stage your home for potential buyers? A staged home can sell 87% quicker than a property that does not get staged. It can also offer you an average of 6.3% more than the original asking price.
Staged homes make a big impact that can help sway a buyers purchase decision. It does this by evoking a sense of imagination so the buyer can picture themselves living in your home.
It helps to stage a property to appeal to people’s thoughts, emotions, and senses. This gets done through decor, furniture, layout, and other finishing touches that come together to create a vision.
Read on for a few creative ideas to get your home staged to sell.
Do a Full Deep Cleaning
A thorough deep cleaning is the first step in how to stage a house the right way. Potential buyers want to see that your home is free of dust, debris, and pet dander.
Place pet items out of plain view, including litter boxes and dog crates. Be sure to vacuum and mop floors until they sparkle. Also clean upholstery, rugs, and curtains.
Pay special attention to your bathrooms. This includes removing toilet rings and recaulking areas that need it. Also, remove hard water stains and mildew from showers.
Your home’s scent is an important factor to consider when staging. You may want to invest in an air purifier, rather than scented candles. It can remove odors and up to 99.97% of toxic particles from your home.
Your home’s exterior should also get some attention. Do this by power washing your siding, garage door, and driveway. Also, remove watermarks and smudges from windows.
Updating landscaping is another way to stage the home to snag a buyer’s attention. Add in a few plants, keep the grass cut, and trim back hedges. Also be sure to keep your yard clean and free from kid’s toys, bikes, and lawn tools.
Don’t Ignore Maintenance Items
A leaky faucet, peeling paint, or a broken garage door are all things that can turn a buyer off. Consider repairs an important part of staging a home that is maintenance free.
In some moving situations, you may need to sell your home right away. This doesn’t leave you enough time to fix all the repairs and get your home staged to sell. Check out these tips for selling a home with needed repairs and learn more about other options to sell your home fast.
Prioritize, Room By Room
Staging your home takes time, money, and a sense of style. Only have the budget to stage a few spaces? Well, it pays to pick the ones that make the greatest impact on the buyer.
Realtors find that the living area is the most important room to stage in the home. Followed by the master bedroom, kitchen, and dining room. Bathrooms are also easy to stage by adding a candle, brand new Turkish towels, and luxury hygiene products.
You can even try staging a spare room as a nursery. This appeals more to growing families than a home gym or office. Also be sure not to leave any rooms empty.
Don’t ignore your exterior spaces, like porches and patios. Outdoor furniture and planters make a big difference here.
Go Neutral to Add Style
Staging a house should always get inspired by a neutral-colored design vision. This appeals more to a wide range of buyer personalities and demographics.
Think like an interior designer, choosing a look that is timeless and bright. You can also play with different textures and materials to add contrast. Try this technique with throw pillows, rugs, and window treatments.
Fresh floral arrangements and plants are a nice touch that adds a pop of color. Or go with an assortment of fruit in a large decorative bowl.
You may want to add a fresh coat of neutral-colored paint to your home’s interior spaces. Do this to replace a bold or outdated color palette with a fresh look. Here’s an article on picking the right paint colors for your walls.
Adopt a “Less Is More” Approach
The top staged houses for sale follow a simple, uncluttered, and well-organized pattern. The idea is to make every room in the home seem bigger.
This means keeping wall space free from artwork and pictures. Also, simplify your home by removing personal items and bulky decor. Take down invites, kid’s artwork, and reminders from your fridge.
Tidy up bookshelves by removing knick-knacks. You also want to remove clutter from kitchen and bath counters. Installing clean open shelving is one way to do this.
Don’t forget to organize your closets and pantries, which buyers always peek inside. Make use of glass jars for containing baking goods, cereals, and pasta. Use decorative hampers or cabinets to conceal detergent and dryer sheets in the laundry room.
It also helps to choose one focal point per room. This should be something lovely that draws the eyes in. A beautiful piece of furniture or woven rug does the trick.
Remove any furniture that does not serve a purpose or that makes the room look cramped. It pays to rent a storage unit or sell un-staged furniture.
Use Light to Create the Right Ambiance
Another important tip is to let in natural lighting when staging a home for sale. This helps to create a welcoming and comforting atmosphere.
Rooms should feel bright and airy, with shades or curtains open. Buyers like to take in the view and see which rooms get the best sunlight. Layering your window treatments is also a nice technique.
Consider installing new lighting fixtures for an updated look. Hanging pendants add tons of style above staircases, kitchen sinks, and dining tables.
Hanging a decorative mirror can also make your space seem larger and brighter. These work to reflect the light and create an illusion of space.
Also, pay attention to your exterior lighting. As interested buyers will plan to drive by your home at night.
Landscaping lighting adds a sense of security to the home. Simple string lighting can also offer more character to your outdoor patio area.
Ready, Set, Staged to Sell…
With these tips and techniques, your home will become staged to sell in no time. You can expect less time spent listed on the market. As well as a boost in the selling price of your home.
Staging is one way to experience a quick and efficient home sale. Especially in more competitive housing markets. Here are a few more smart tips and tricks for selling your home fast.