Staging a home is quickly becoming a necessity in this tough economy since competition is fierce and buyers are hesitant. A well-staged home attracts buyers and sells quicker. Therefore, if you are planning on selling your house, it would be smart to learn some tips about how to stage a home.
Start thinking like a buyer
If you want to sell your house quickly, you should start with understanding what exactly a buyer will be looking for. Like for example, buyers may be looking for enough storage space, a house which looks good from the outside, a clean and tidy place to live, a house which will be ready-to-move-in, etc. Once you know what a buyer wants, you can begin work on those points.
From outside, the house should look appealing and inviting
When staging a home, you should start with focusing on the curb appeal and look of your house. After all, if buyers do not like what they see on the outside, they won’t even bother to come inside. Therefore, mow the lawn, rake the leaves, declutter the lawn and entrance, remove all the toys, bicycle etc., and polish and clean the windows and the door, get a fresh coat of paint and plant grass and flowers to make your house appealing and inviting.
Depersonalize
When buying a house, most buyers imagine themselves living in that particular home. So it is very important that you depersonalize. In fact, this is one of the most important rules of staging a home. Start with removing all the family photos, certificates and knick-knacks on display. Basically, take yourself and the “home” part out of the for-sale house.
A blank canvas
If you are selling your house, you should know that the potential buyer will have different tastes, from furnishing to paint. Therefore, you should offer them a blank canvas, a place which is ready to look and feel like as they want it. For example some buyer may prefer the house to be all warm and cozy and some buyer may prefer their house to have minimalistic interiors. In order to appeal to a wide range of buyers, you should offer them a house which is open for change. Start with neutral paints on the wall. Also, when possible, opt for minimal furniture and pack or store away the rest.
Make it ready to move-in
As said earlier, think from a buyer’s point of view. If you were going to buy a house, would you have liked it if there were unfinished projects or leaking faucets in the house? Of course not! So here is an another important rule of staging a home – make it perfect and ready to move-in. Fix all the leaky faucets, clean the sinks, kitchen, bathroom and the counter tops too. Put some plants near the kitchen window and may be even some fresh flowers in the living room. If the paint is peeling off, apply a fresh coat of neutral color. Clean the closets, drawers and other storage spaces like the garage and basement as prospective buyers will check everything.
Follow these important rules of staging a home and you will see the results for yourself. In case this is overwhelming, let the professional staging experts at Prep This House handle it for you. Be sure to take a look at the services we offer, and be sure to contact us with any questions!
