Many people mix up decorating and house staging. Decorating is a more on the personal side. You want to make your home more appealing to you and your family while also making it feel warm and cozy. Home staging, on the other hand, is intended to appeal to a large pool of potential buyers. It’s more like emphasizing the house’s greatest qualities while hiding its weaknesses.
IS HOME STAGING IMPORTANT?
Home staging takes time, effort, and money, but if done correctly, your property will not remain on the market for long. Potential buyers aren’t simply searching for a place to call home; they’re looking for a place where they can live out their dreams and improve their quality of life. Staging a home allows buyers to view it in its finest light and may help demonstrate what a property has to offer without requiring a complete renovation.
Keep in mind that any issues they find may cause them to lower their offer price or, worse, cancel the deal entirely.
7 HOME STAGING TIPS
- Clean and declutter
The first task in any home staging project should be to clean and declutter. Cleaning the entire house, from the floors to the ceilings—and everything in between—is ideal. A spotless home implies to potential buyers that the former occupants took good care of it, a perception that extends beyond the kitchen counter tops to the entire house.
A spotless home implies to potential buyers that the former occupants took good care of it, a perception that extends beyond the kitchen counter tops to the entire house.
You should also declutter at the same time. You don’t have to get rid of everything, but you should definitely pack it up and get it out of the house. Buyers will be looking through your closets to see how much storage space they have, so take your time and remove as many unnecessary and non-essential items as possible.
- Depersonalize
Remove any family photographs, souvenirs, and refrigerator art so that buyers can see themselves in your house. Keep as much of your clothing covered as possible, and make sure the restroom countertops are clear. You want the house to have flair and charm, but it shouldn’t have any personal touches that make it seem like it belongs to the seller rather than the buyer.
- Define rooms
The buyers should see the purpose of each and every room in the house. Make sure that each room’s area has a function. This will show purchasers how to make the most of the home’s space. Even if the buyer does not intend to utilize the room for the same purpose, it is critical that they understand that every square foot of the house is useable space.
However, you want to focus your efforts on the rooms that have the potential to have a huge impact on buyers’ decisions. So, it is safe to spend less time on the rooms that won’t make much of a difference.
- Walls and floorings
Painting your walls with neutral color is the route to take in home staging. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to the wallpapers or paint on the walls and this neutral color will help them envision their own interior design.
You might also want to consider replacing your current carpet or linoleum to hardwood floors. Aside from adding elegance to a home which appeal to almost everyone, it also increases the value of a property. Make this a focal point in your living room, dining room, and kitchen.
- Lighting
Dark rooms are depressing and unpleasant to be in. Opening the curtains on all of the windows can lighten the space and make it appear larger.
During the open house, turn on all of the lights in your house, including lamps and closet lights. You don’t want the purchasers to become sidetracked by “light switch hunting.”
Don’t forget to check for any damaged or obsolete fixtures, and replace them if necessary.
- Furniture
The trick is to maintain a sense of balance. Make sure the furniture is the right size for the room and that it isn’t overstuffed. Rearrange it such that there is as much walking space as possible. During an open house, buyers should be able to focus better and converse comfortably.
- Exterior
Many people concentrate on staging the interior areas but overlook the outdoors. It might be pricey to ignore the exterior! Remember that the exterior space is the first thing people will notice, and it will make or break the buyer’s initial impression.
Clean the rain gutters, the dirt and leaves from the walks, and the shutters and windows. Clean the deck, patio, and fencing on the outside of the house.
BOTTOM LINE
Staging should be used to highlight a home’s greatest features, wow potential buyers, and sell it as soon as possible for the highest feasible price. House staging, on the other hand, does not have to be costly; you may rent furniture, undertake some DIY projects, or even recycle existing items to stage your home. At the end of the day, you want to sell your house quickly and for the highest potential profit.