Selling a house can be a stressful process. You may dream of just listing the property, quickly finding a qualified buyer, collecting the cash, and handing over the keys. In reality, selling a house isn’t that simple. One of the things you can do to ensure that your home gets sold quickly is house staging. Ever heard of it? Or, you may have heard of it but don’t know what it means exactly? Don’t worry, here’s how to stage a house that sells.
What is home staging?
To put it briefly – home staging is a proven and effective sales technique for preparing your home for sale. It implies decorating so that it appeals to the largest number of potential buyers willing to pay the greatest price. In terms of both time and money, staging could be one of the most profitable house makeover projects you’ll ever undertake. If you want to stage a house that sells, you ought to pay special attention to how you arrange the living room, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and outdoor living spaces. Home staging involves redecorating, rearranging furniture, cleaning, and other interior design strategies that could help you present the home in the best possible light.
The importance and benefits of home staging
Staging for sale highlights a property’s good sides while downplaying its flaws. It enables your house to be showcased in its full potential and creates a property that makes a good first impression. You can opt to hire a professional home stager or decide to take the matter into your own hands.
According to statistics, 31% of buyers increased their offer by 1-5% because the home was staged and arranged. 77% of buyers felt more able to see themselves moving into a staged property, and 40% were more willing to visit a staged house they found online. Moreover, home staging may shorten the time your house spends on the market and speed up the buying process in addition to a better offer.
Here’s what you should do if you want to stage a house that sells
Declutter
Clutter takes up space that is supposed to get sold. If you get rid of it, you will make your home look bigger. While it might not look like clutter to you, it sure will to your potential buyers. After all, they need to visualize the property as their own and, to do that, they need a clutter-free, organized space.
Show off the storage
Nobody ever complained about having too much storage space. Decluttering will actually help you in this process. Extra storage space always ranks high on potential buyers’ lists. So, if you want to create extra space for all the items, consider a few DIY in-house storage options. Matching baskets and cloth bins, handy shoe racks, etc., are always a winning combination.
Clean, clean, and clean some more
A squeaky-clean home means that you’ve taken good care of the property. Therefore, make sure to clean everything, from the floors to the ceilings. Don’t forget how to choose house cleaning services in houston tx about the walls either – they should be clean and freshly painted. If you decide to do this yourself, get ready for many flaws. Luckily, here are a few tips on fixing wall-painting mistakes. And remember, spring cleaning is nothing compared to cleaning for staging the house for sale. So, arm yourself with patience or hire someone to deep clean your home and make it shine!
De-personalize
The fastest way to help potential buyers envision themselves as the owners is to depersonalize the house. Remove any personal items, like family photos, souvenirs, and mementos, and place some neutral decor around. A few lovely books on the shelf or even a rubber duck on the edge of a bathtub can make everything look more appealing. Good home staging means looking at your home objectively. So, even if it might be difficult, you have to forget it’s your home.
Go neutral
To stage a house like a pro, always go neutral. When it comes to your sale price and time on the market, using neutral colors might make a significant impact. Bright colors on the walls can be a turn-off for potential buyers. One of the most important things you can do when preparing your home for sale is to paint over any bright colors with neutrals like gray, white, and taupe. On the other hand, make sure not to go too neutral, and don’t be afraid to use some bold colors in smaller areas, such as the powder room or dining room. Many potential buyers prefer seeing a home decorated in the traditional American style, so you can always use this as an inspiration.
Sniff around
Your house ought to smell nice. Make sure there are no unpleasant smells, especially pet odors. To ensure a pleasant smelling home, bring a pot of water with a few cinnamon sticks to a boil, or bake a fresh batch of cookies. Avoid artificial and overpowering scents as they often have the opposite effect.
Staging a home – a quick checklist
- Walkthrough each room and try to see the house from a buyer’s perspective.
- Have a yard sale – decluttering made easy.
- Thoroughly clean the entire home.
- Steam clean carpets and drapes.
- Repair wall cracks and holes.
- Paint interior walls with neutral colors. Use pale blues and greens for bathrooms.
- Rearrange furniture to maximize space.
- Remove family photos, personal collections.
- Paint the exterior.
- Wash the sidings and windows.
- Inspect the roof.
- Mow the lawn.
- Plant colorful flowers.
- Clear the countertops.
- Replace outdated hardware.
- Keep all toilet seat lids closed.
- Hang fresh towels.
- Bake cookies or burn scented candles.
- Turn off TVs.
- Refrain from smoking in the home.
- Stage the front porch or deck.
- Make sure fireplaces are in good condition.
- Put ads in local newspapers.
- Put up “Open House” signs on the front lawn.
- Create property description sheets and prepare essential documents.
Final words
Staging a home doesn’t have to be expensive. You simply have to make smart decisions, the stage where it matters, and be ready to roll up your sleeves. Keep in mind that you ought to appeal to the broadest range of potential buyers and keep it tidy and neutral if you want to stage a house that sells. Good luck!
