7 Tips to Staging a Home
When staging homes for possible buyers, you want to showcase the house by showing off its best assets. Impressing buyers through a staged home can help you sell a home for the highest price. Because not all sellers stage their homes, you can take advantage of this extra step for that push for sales.
First, let's discuss what staging is.
This form of visual merchandising, called staging, draws on some of the fundamentals of interior design. Staging must flatter the property but not too obviously. Just enough to grab your attention in the essential parts of the home. When staging a home, it's important to let buyers imagine themselves living the house by showing off its remarkable features and maybe hiding away the little flaws. Turn weird spaces into usable ones, and create a mood that can give more emotion to your home, making it stand out in photos.
How Staging Affects Sale Price and Time on Market
According to a 2021 National Association of Realtors (NAR) report, 47% of buyer's agents said that staging affected most buyers' view of a home. This is because it's easier for buyers to visualize how they can use their true home and help sell houses FASTER. The living room was found to be the most critical to buyers when stages, runner up the primary bedroom, and then third the kitchen.
Time and money determine the level of practical staging for the home. Whatever your budget, try implementing these seven staging tips.
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Depersonalize and Declutter
If the home is not empty, it's vital to declutter and depersonalize items so that buyers can find it easier to envision themselves living there. Be sure to make all family photos, refrigerator art, and personal belongings out of sight. Keep tidy and organized by hiding clothes and keeping bathroom counters empty.
2. Plants
A few potted plants around the home can make the house feel fresh and inviting. Place plants strategically throughout the home, and be sure not to overwhelm any areas with TOO MUCH green.
3. Define rooms
Each room in the home should have a single, defined purpose. That means ensuring every space in the house seems to be utilized for a specific reason. Buyers can see themselves using and maximizing the square footage they are purchasing.
If your home has a finished attic, make it into an office space or a craft room. Try to make your finished basement into an entertainment room, and remove any unusual or distracting items that don't go within the area.
Even if a potential buyer doesn't want o use that room for that purpose, it makes it look suitable for whatever they want to use it for.
4. Paint
Wallpaper is a big red flag for a potential buyer. Most likely, they won't like it. You should paint the walls neutral colors. Buyers can see the honesty at its full potential of what they can do to it when they buy it and put their own aesthetic into it. It's better to paint the walls warm and neutral colors instead of a harsh white, blank slate.
5. Flooring
No one wants to imagine themselves in a home with stained and dirty carpets. New flooring might seem pricey, but you can find that hardwood floors add much value to your home. Hardwood floors are often low maintenance, providing long-term value to the home.
Areas like the living room, dining room, and kitchen should focus on hardwood floors. Upgrading the floor in the bathrooms could also be a bonus. They have less floor area to cover, which makes for a less expensive upgrade.
6. Lighting
Take advantage of the light that flows naturally in the home. When showing a home to potential buyers, open all curtains and blinds to show off the light. Add fixtures and lamps where necessary, and turn on ALL LIGHTS. This makes the home appear brighter and more inviting. Replace outdated or broken fixtures with new low-cost fixtures.
7. Furniture
Place furniture that fits the size of the room, but be sure not to over-clutter the space. Furniture that is too big for the space will make it look smaller. Add furniture that looks simple and inviting. You can even add throw pillows for a pop of color to add contrast.
Be sure to arrange the furniture to make the room homey and spacious. Maybe create a setup that seems like a comfortable conversation area.
Get the most out of your money with these staging techniques. When you add these touches, you will open a wider possible range for buyers. You'll find that staging will get you more offers on your home with a higher selling price.
Are you Selling Your Northern Colorado Area Home?
When selling your home, there are endless details to think through. We all want to sell our homes for the best price, but to do that, you need a real estate ally to help you with each step.
From pricing to staging your home, and dealing with contracts and buyers, you shouldn't have to worry about missing something. P23 Realty is here to be your ally and handle the heavy lifting of getting your home sold quickly.