When you’re getting ready to sell your home, you want to showcase all its positive features. To do this effectively, you may need to take some time to stage your home’s interior and exterior for potential homebuyers in order to sell it quickly and for a great price. Read on to learn about some of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to stage your home!
1. Clean everything
One of the simplest and most effective ways to show your home at its best is simply to thoroughly clean everything. This includes tasks like dusting surfaces, mopping floors, scrubbing bathrooms and polishing appliances. Your goal is to make everything look as clean and fresh as possible. Consider using natural cleaners if you want to avoid harsh chemicals.
2. Declutter and depersonalize
An important complement to cleaning is decluttering your home. When your home has clutter, it may appear messy, distracting and cramped, so put away any of the items that you don’t need in your everyday life. To help homebuyers envision themselves in your home, consider stowing personal items, such as family photos, refrigerator art and keepsakes.
3. Neutralize wallpaper and paint
If you have any bold or eccentric wallpaper or paint, consider opting for a more neutral color and design such as shades of gray or white. Since colors are so subjective for each person, neutral hues can allow buyers to visualize their own personal tastes in your home.
4. Maximize lighting
Showing your home in its best light includes literally showing it in its best light. Clean all your light fixtures, make sure your lightbulbs have matching hues (advertised as “color temperature” on packaging) and avoid harsh fluorescent lightening. Before showings, open all the curtains and blinds to let sunlight in and turn on all the lights to make your home brighter and more inviting.
5. Improve smells
Scent matters almost as much as sight when it comes to showing off your home. Since you may be “nose blind” to how your home smells to others, have a friend or family member come over to give their opinion. If your place needs an aromatic makeover, there are many ways to freshen and deodorize your home to make it more appealing.
6. Define each room
When you give each room a designated purpose, you can show potential buyers how to maximize the space. If you have a spare room, attic or other area that’s not being put to good use, consider staging it as a guest bedroom, home office, playroom or other practical space.
7. Rearrange furniture
If necessary, reconfigure your furniture in each room to make it look as homey, inviting and spacious as possible. Don’t keep too much furniture in one room, and make sure everything is the right size for its space. You can add interest and appeal with different fabrics, colors and items. And don’t overlook outdoor areas like patios and decks!
8. Add natural features
Decorating your home with natural elements can make it appear warmer and more welcoming. Consider adding natural items that are native to your area, including dried flowers, wood, twigs and native plants. If you’re on a coast, consider seashells or coral rocks. Even if you’re in an urban area where there’s more concrete than trees, plants and flowers still add a great soft touch to your home.
9. Improve curb appeal
The outside of your home establishes its curb appeal – the first impression your property makes on potential buyers. To improve your home’s curb appeal, you can clean your siding, windows and hard surfaces, add to and improve your landscaping and update aging fixtures, hardware and paint.
10. Search for more ideas
The tips and strategies for staging your home are almost endless! If you want to go even further than the tips above, the internet is a great resource for inspiration, and your real estate agent is also sure to be a pro when it comes to staging homes. Utilize these resources to their fullest!
Conclusion
Staging your home to sell doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Rearranging your furniture or cleaning and decluttering are just a couple strategies that don’t cost a thing but can make a huge difference in the feel and look of your home.
If you’re thinking of selling your home, we can help you get ready to finance your next home purchase! Get in touch today for a free mortgage consultation.
