Top-Notch Home Staging Jobs: How to Stage Your Home the Right Way
On average, staged homes sell for around $40,000 over the list price and also spend less time on the market. These two things should be enough to convince you to put in a little extra work before selling your home.
It’s not an easy job though. There are many moving parts to staging a property, so you need to ensure that you do it right. Otherwise, you’ll waste both time and money, and you won’t get as big a return.
Read on to see how to pull off the best home staging jobs so you sell your home fast.
Declutter Every Room
If you’d classify your house as “well-loved,” then your belongings are probably strewn across all surfaces. Your kids’ toys are spread across multiple rooms, and you’ve got piles of unread mail stacked up too.
While this chaos is livable for your family, it’s bound to be unappealing to potential buyers. Clutter has a negative impact on mental health; it can increase stress levels and make it difficult to focus, and you don’t want that happening when you have an open house.
It might seem like a huge feat to tackle, but declutter room by room to make things easier. Remove personal items, excess furniture, and any other things that make the space feel crowded.
Try to keep countertops and surfaces clear, as this creates a sense of openness. This might mean throwing away some items or boxing them up.
Deep Clean the House
Once you’ve removed all the clutter, then it’s time to deep clean. Even if you’ve kept up with cleaning your home throughout the years, there’s bound to be a build-up of dirt, grime, allergens, etc., from normal daily life. All these things can add up and give your property a run-down appearance.
To ensure your house looks its best, thoroughly deep clean every square inch. This includes all surfaces, floors, windows, carpets, and walls.
A clean home gives a positive impression to potential buyers, and can make the space more inviting too. They’ll be more likely to buy a property that looks and smells clean.
Depersonalize the Property
Home buyers want to envision themselves living in the property, as this will be their new abode. The power of imagination is strong, and can be exactly what pushes someone to put in an offer.
However, this can be hard to do if there are splashes of your family’s presence all across the house. You might not think much of it, but a family photo hanging here and artwork done by your little one hanging there can completely block buyers from realizing the full potential of your home. And as a result, you may not get many bites.
Take care to remove personal photos, artwork, and unique decorations. Making the spaces as neutral as possible will enable people to let their imaginations flow.
Repaint the Walls
Over the years, your walls have probably suffered from chips, scratches, and other blemishes from your active household. Even without these things, paint can become dull and unlively. To stage your home properly, you’ll want to fix this up with fresh coats of paint.
Keeping in mind that staging requires neutrality, opt for colors that are light and not bold. Going with shades like lime green or deep purple is extremely risky, as people tend to have polarized views regarding more unconventional things.
To play it on the safe side, choose hues like whites, beiges, or light grays. These have the added benefit of reflecting light and making your spaces feel bigger.
Make Small Fixes and Upgrades
With major repairs, it’s best if you leave them to the pros. On the other hand, you can DIY some small fixes and upgrades that are sure to make your staging better.
For example, you can swap out light fixtures for newer and more modern ones. Or you can upgrade the hardware in your kitchen.
These small tasks have a fantastic return on investment (ROI) since you won’t have to spend much time or money to update your house.
Maximize Natural Light
No one wants to live in a dark cave, plus buyers want to see every detail to make sure that they’re making a wise purchase. This means it’s essential to maximize natural lighting when staging your home.
Fully open the curtains and blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. This results in rooms feeling more spacious and appealing.
For rooms that are still a bit dark after you open the curtains and blinds, replace any burned-out bulbs and check that all light fixtures are clean and functional. If you have the budget, you can also purchase new accent lights to draw people’s eyes to certain parts of rooms.
Rearrange Your Furniture
You want potential buyers to have an excellent time going from one room to the next. And while you use furniture while stationary, these pieces can significantly affect how you move about too.
Think about how you’d move around and arrange your furniture in a way that maximizes both space and flow. In addition, create conversational areas in living rooms and make sure walkways are completely clear.
You can also use furniture pieces to highlight the purpose of each room.
Define Rooms
On that note, you’ll want to clearly define the purpose of each room. This can help potential buyers envision themselves using those spaces. Otherwise, they might get confused when they come across a room and discount the entire property.
If you have a room that serves multiple functions, consider its most appealing use. Then, stage it for that specific purpose to highlight its strength.
Add Greenery
Spaces without greenery can feel cold and unwelcome. Plus, they can be devoid of personality, which can make your house unappealing.
An easy way to make buyers feel right at home is to sprinkle touches of nature throughout. There are several low-maintenance plants you can place strategically to add freshness, color, and life.
Don’t forget about flowers too. You can get bouquets to place in vases on tables or add a small windowsill planter to your kitchen window.
Carefully Choose Art and Decor
We mentioned earlier that you should get rid of family photos and your children’s artwork. This might’ve left you with empty walls that are devoid of life.
You can rectify this by carefully selecting art and decor to fill these spaces. Again, opt for neutral and tasteful things to enhance your property. Avoid anything too personal or controversial, as these can quickly turn off potential buyers.
Ideally, you should pick pieces that complement the style and architecture of your home.
Enhance the Exterior Appeal
So much thought goes into staging the interior of a house that many people forget about the exterior. However, this is the first impression that people will get when they pull up, so you need to make sure that it’s in tip-top condition.
Focus on boosting the curb appeal by doing some landscaping. Clean up the yard, trim bushes and trees, and add fresh flowers or potted plants near the entrance. If you don’t have the time, energy, or know-how, then hiring a professional can be beneficial.
Ensure the entrance is welcoming by placing a clean doormat at the front. If your front door’s in poor shape, then have it repainted for a new look.
Adding outdoor lighting will also enhance your home’s exterior appeal. Not only does it give your walkway and porch a nice look and feel, but it’ll make your property safer as well.
Do a Final Walkthrough
Before you open your house to potential buyers, do a final walkthrough. You should repeat this in between showings and open houses to make sure that everything’s in its place and perfect.
Straight pillows, make beds, dust off surfaces, and tidy up any last-minute messes so your property’s impeccable for viewers.
Home Staging Jobs Aren’t for Everyone
As you can see, it’s a lot of work to go through home staging jobs. And understandably, it’s not ideal for every homeowner.
Luckily, home staging isn’t required for every property sale. If you don’t want to go through all this trouble, then you’ll be glad to learn that we buy houses as they are. This means you won’t have to go through all these extensive steps to beautify your home and attract buyers.
If you’d rather sell your house as-is, and you want to sell your house for cash, then contact us today. We’ll send you a cash offer within 24 hours of viewing your home.