Why staging your home?
No matter how hot the real estate market is, every seller gets a little nervous before officially listing their home. However, if you want your property to garner much interest, there’s one piece of advice everyone can agree on: It helps to stage your home.
You may be thinking to yourself, “I have great taste! My home is immaculately decorated.” We get it. You love your beautiful home. But just because it’s stylish doesn’t mean it’s staged.
We know you’re proud of your framed travel prints and valuable figurines. Still, buyers care less about curated collections and more about seeing clean, strategically furnished rooms where they can gain inspiration and envision their future. That’s the art of home staging.
According to the NAR (National Association of Realtors):
- 31% of buyers increased their offer by 1% to 5% because the home was staged
- 77% of buyers felt more able to see themselves moving into a staged home
- 40% were more willing to visit a staged online listing
- Staging is beneficial for homes of all sizes and price ranges because it affects not just the in-person showings but the photographs. With the increase in virtual open houses and listings, most people want to browse online pictures before scheduling a visit, especially with COVID-19 concerns. Some Realtors even insist that a home be staged unless the property is a teardown.
- If you’re interested in tips for selling your home – potentially more quickly and for a higher price – take a look at these eight home staging ideas.
1. REMOVE THE CLUTTER
The number one rule of home staging, decluttering, involves clearing unnecessary furniture and items to make your home appear more spacious and functional. The goal is for every room to look like it has a purpose.
Don’t be overwhelmed at the thought of clearing out and organizing every inch of your home. It helps to start small and have a simple declutter plan. Don’t stuff things in closets or cabinets either – those will be viewed by potential buyers, too.
Wondering where to store these home items? Rent a portable container that can be delivered to your property and then stored at a secure storage center.
2. BECOME MR. (OR MS.) CLEAN
Cleaning is an important part of the home staging process. A messy home makes a poor first impression. Even in a seller’s market, you’ll likely have at least a few home showings, so you won’t want to complete a full deep cleaning every time the Realtor calls.
Do a major cleaning when you first list the house, and then periodically as needed. To keep things well maintained, here are four easy things to do daily while your house is on the market:
Mop and vacuum the floors
Wipe down surfaces
Clean the toilets
Make the beds
3. GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT
While it’d be ideal to stage every room in your home, that may not be possible due to time or other constraints. If that’s the case, focus on these four rooms:
Living room: Show potential buyers that their families will be cozy – but not cramped – in the space.
Master bedroom: Make the bed look warm, inviting, and nicely decorated (don’t go crazy with the throw pillows). Put a book or vase beside a lamp on the nightstand.
Kitchen: Have clear countertops with few appliances. A fresh bowl of fruit or open cookbook is a nice touch.
Dining room: Ensure your table and seating are the right sizes for the room to avoid it looking cramped. Add some simple place settings for panache.
4. GIVE YOUR ROOMS SOME SPACE
There are some cheap and simple ways to make small rooms look bigger instantly – or at least pretty quickly.
Hang long drapes on windows
Put a thin standing lamp or tall plant in an empty corner
Pull furniture away from the walls in living areas
Use lamps to add light to dark areas
Mirrors are also a great way to create the illusion of space.
If you’re looking for strategic places to hang them, try over
fireplaces, sofas, or consoles, or across from windows.
5. DON’T MAKE IT PERSONAL
Buyers want to see potential in a house – they’re looking for a place they can turn into their home. That’s tough to do if they’re looking at many personal items from the current owner. Help spark their imagination by removing your family photos and mementos. Don’t forget to put away those toothbrushes and grooming items, too.
6. BE NEUTRAL
Give your home a quick makeover by painting the room light, neutral colors. If you’re tight on time, opt for touch-ups only – like the trim, built-in shelving, or other small accents.
Neutral colors aren’t for paint only. A few white towels hanging in the bathroom, cream-colored bed linens, and other light home accessories go a long way.
7. PUT AWAY THE ELECTRONICS
While a few TVs are fine, you don’t want to show a house crammed with too many electronics. To create a clean aesthetic, remove extra TVs, gaming consoles, laptops, charging stations, electronic personal assistants, and other home gadgets that may clutter your space. These items can be distracting for potential buyers.
8. TURN TO THE PROFESSIONALS
You may be a good organizer or decorator, but mastering home staging is a tough skill to acquire. To make sure the job is done right, consider hiring a professional home staging company. These designers know what it takes to sell a home and can accentuate your home’s best features.
Depending on the size of your home, home staging services typically cost from $523 to $2,000, with the national average at $1,260, according to HomeAdvisor.
As Your Agent, I Offer FREE Interior Design Planning
To maximize your home’s value and get you a quick sale, I proudly offer interior design planning at no additional cost to you!
My Interior Designer Team will provide you with customized sketches showing the design possibilities in your home. I will work with you to determine which changes in your home design will result in the best return on your investment, taking your personal tastes into account.
The recommended changes could include items like:
- Fresh interior paint
- Furniture arrangement
- New home accessories
- Updated lighting fixtures
- or something as minimal as a couple of flower arrangements.
The proposed plan includes purchasing recommendations, and my team will provide links to where the items can be purchased. Or you can use the sketch to find similar items in your favorite shops.
As your listing agent, my goal is to make your home look like a buyer's Dream Home, and when you move into your new home, you’ll have a cohesive design concept, with the stylized home accessories ready to make your new home shine!
Of course, you are not under any obligation to make the recommended changes. The Interior Design Planning sketch provides a free blueprint for creating an inviting space in your current home to move with you into your new home.
Please take advantage of our design team with experience in luxury hospitality and real estate expertise to give your home a competitive advantage over the other listings on the market. And enjoy the home accessories from your customized interior design plan in your new home for years to come!