Are you planning to sell your home? If so, the good news is that there’s plenty you can do to hurry a sale along. Instead of sitting back and waiting for some bites, try out these seven home staging design tips.
1. Do a Deep Clean
Before your house hits the market, be sure to go over every square inch and ensure it’s pristine. Look at the spots you tend to ignore, like baseboards, molding, light switches, ceiling fixtures and everywhere in between.
Start high, then work your way down, as you don’t want to vacuum the floors before you dislodge all the dust. Wipe down your windows — both inside and out — with a squeegee and fix all streaks. When you get to the floors, be sure to break out your vacuum’s attachments to get into crevices and corners.
2. Declutter Every Room
The goal of staging is to make your home look its best. To do this, you’ll need to go through each room and declutter. Use bins to designate items you want to keep, donate and throw away. Make sure closets and shelves aren’t overflowing. Keep trash cans empty and counter spaces clear.
Pack up all your personal items, such as framed photos, knick-knacks and sports memorabilia, and stash them away in a storage unit. People like to imagine themselves living in a new space, which can be hard to do if they see your stuff everywhere. Plus, these items can distract potential buyers from what your home has to offer.
3. Decorate With Neutrals
Neutral colors make your home a blank canvas, allowing buyers to imagine the space however they please. Hang white towels in the bathroom for a hint of simple elegance. Use white bedding, which will look excellent in photographs.
Now that you took down all your personal belongings, your walls and shelves may seem a little bare. Hang art with subjects that will appeal to everyone, such as landscapes or flowers. Add neutral accents, like throw pillows, rugs and vases.
4. Group Your Furniture
In the living room, reposition your couches and chairs away from the walls and into intimate conversational groups, a tactic that will make your space look more inviting and spacious. According to one survey of buyers’ agents, 83% said staging makes it easier for people to visualize the property as a future home.
In the dining room, set the table as if preparing for a meal. Get out the dishes, including plates, bowls and glassware. Avoid using tablecloths, as they make it look like you’re hiding something. You should also use a seasonal centerpiece, such as a vase of flowers, that’s scaled to your table’s size.
5. Hang up Mirrors
If your home has small rooms or tight hallways without much natural light, add some wall mirrors. These fixtures bounce light around dark areas and make spaces appear larger.
Avoid triangles or starbursts, as not everyone will like them. Instead, opt for a traditional look with square, rectangular, circular or oval options. Choose something with a wooden or metal frame for a sleek, simple look.
6. Finish Forgotten Projects
We’ve all been there — you wanted to spruce up your home with a new project, but life got in the way, and your goal fell by the wayside. Unfortunately, those unfinished projects, like retiling your kitchen backsplash or switching out cabinet hardware, can scare off potential buyers or lead to issues with your home inspection. The best way to sell your home is to tie up loose ends.
Before you host an open house or walkthrough, tackle those tasks you’ve meant to complete. Add the remaining trim to your windows, hammer the last nail into your built-in bookcases and put on your bathroom cabinet’s final coat of paint.
7. Upgrade Your Landscaping
Don’t forget about your home’s exterior. The outside of your property is the first thing a potential buyer sees when they pull in the driveway. To enhance your curb appeal, give your landscaping some TLC.
Start by mowing the lawn, raking up leaves and trimming the hedges. Cut down overgrown tree branches and clear all walkways. Don’t forget to plant some gorgeous greenery, too. If your yard is particularly shady, go with hardy options like astilbe, foxglove, primrose and coral bells.
Stage Your Home and Score a Sale
Staging your home comes with lots of benefits — it will spend 86% less time on the market, sell for more money and have fewer concessions requested when you finally find a seller. Plus, with the tips above, it’s easy to do. What are you waiting for? Start setting the stage for a quick sale.
This post was authored by Holly Welles, Writer, Real Estate & Construction for more of her work check out: theestateupdate.com
