Home Staging Cost: 5 Tips to either Reduce or Outright Avoid It

Home Staging Cost: 5 Tips to either Reduce or Outright Avoid It

The housing market in Memphis, TN is set to boom during 2022. With homes selling fast, you need to make yours stand out from the crowd.

Are you ready to sell your home, but don’t know where to start? Home staging is the key to a good property viewing, and ultimately getting a sold sign outside your house.

But staging a home for sale can be pricey. Is there a way to lower your home staging cost, or remove it altogether? And what is home staging, anyway?

We’ve got you covered with 5 tips to either reduce your home staging spend, or eliminate it altogether. Keep reading for the lowdown on how to stage your home the right way.

What Is Home Staging?

Simply put, home staging is the art of getting your home ready for its big debut. It needs to be showhome chic. Picture this.

It’s your wedding day, and it’s going to be perfect – you’re having a Peabody Wedding at one of Memphis’ historic treasures. The venue is stunning, the groom is waiting and you walk in… in your pajamas.

Uh-oh, sounds like the stuff of nightmares right there. To be the bride that leaves them breathless, you need to look the part.

And that is what home staging is all about.

While your pajamas are the comfiest clothing you own, comfy is not what you’re after on your wedding day – you want to dress to impress. And when you’ve got potential buyers coming to view your home, you want it to be love at first sight.

The Benefits of Staging a Home for Sale

If you went with the analogy, you get that you need to make your house look good for viewing day. But why? Does it get a house sold faster?

Well yes, actually, it does. In fact, a professionally staged home will sell 73% faster than homes that aren’t staged! A faster sale means faster dough that you can spend on your dream home right away.

But did you know that home staging can even get you more money? 25% more than unstaged homes, in fact.

So, it sounds great, but what’s the catch? The downside to professional home staging is that it can cost up to $3000… a month. Yup, that stings.

But your happy ever after doesn’t have to end there. You can stage your home yourself! These 5 tips will be the home staging resource you’ll want to cut out and keep.

1. Depersonalize and Store

There’s nothing more personal than someone seeing you in your pajamas, right? Well okay, almost nothing.

While cute baby photos, your shoe collection, and your dog’s chew toys may hit you right in the feels, chances are they could put off buyers. Though it’s hard, the first thing to do is take down and remove all personal items, photographs, and keepsakes. You want potential buyers to see themselves living in your home – not your family.

Next, clear away the clutter. Clear all surfaces, and keep floors clear of everything except furniture. Relegate your toiletries to the bathroom cabinet – out of sight, out of mind.

Depending on how much stuff you have, you may need to rent a storage locker. Or cut down on costs by seeing if your friends can store your stuff for a few weeks.

2. Repaint

Now the house is clear, take a look at the walls. High-traffic areas like hallways, kitchens, and living rooms can sustain a lot of knocks and scrapes. For that showhome look, you’ll want your walls to look pristine and flawless.

Opt for paint colors in neutral tones. Whites, creams, and beiges may not be your jam, but they’ll make your space look bigger, and will appeal to most viewers.

Professional painters will do an amazing job but can come with a hefty price tag. On the other hand, a tub of paint can cost $30, saving you some serious cash.

3. Beg, Borrow and… Spruce Up Your Furniture

You didn’t think we were going to encourage stealing, did you? Seriously though, now you’ve got a fresh, clutter-free home, you need to throw some furniture into the mix.

Use furniture that will tell a room’s story at a glance. If it’s a bedroom, make sure there’s a bed and closet to show off the amount of space. But don’t keep bookcases and other unnecessary pieces in there, as they can confuse buyers.

If your own furniture has seen better days, you can hire some to match your new decor. Or, see if you can borrow some pieces from friends and family to keep costs down.

4. Clean Up Like a Pro

This one’s going to sound like a no-brainer, but have you ever seen a grimy stove in a showhome kitchen? Or toothpaste on the bathroom mirror?

The next step is to give your entire house a thorough clean, from the attic to the basement. Of course, you could get professional cleaners in to do the job for you. But if you want to cut your home staging cost, some cleaning products, rubber gloves, and a great cleaning checklist are all you need.

5. Give Your Front Yard a Makeover

First, take a breath – you deserve it. Your home is clean, clear, and fresh as a daisy. The inside is in tip-top shape; a buyer couldn’t fail to love it. Now it’s time to tackle the outside.

The first thing potential buyers will see is your fence, yard, and house front. Start with the basics, and clear your outdoor space of tools, shoes, toys, and junk.

New planting will show that a home is loved and well-cared for, and so will a well-kept driveway. Remove all weeds from between pavers, mow the lawn, and repaint the fence if you need to.

First impressions make all the difference, so if a buyer falls in love with the outside, they’re more likely to love the inside too.

Tips to Save on Your Home Staging Cost

Home staging is essential if you want the fastest house sale, for the best price. But to do it on a budget, you need home staging tips that work.

Depersonalizing your home is a fast and potentially free way of staging a home that buyers will love. With a lick of paint, some well-placed furniture, and a fresh front yard, you can sell your house in no time. And by doing the work yourself, you can reduce your home staging cost or outright avoid it! 

Need to sell your Memphis home super fast? Then contact us and let us help.

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