How to Stage a Home
It’s no secret that we’re currently in a seller’s market. This means that it is a great time if you’re looking to sell your house, as there is high demand for home ownership. We’ve talked about certain selling tips to use when putting your house on the market, but let’s take it a step forward. You’ll want to implement these tips on how to stage your home for potential buyers, both online and those who tour in person.
Declutter
First things first – you’ll want to go through your home room by room and work on decluttering your space. Not only will it help clear space within the home, but it will also leave you with less to pack when you do end up moving out! There is currently an emphasis on minimization in our society (has anyone watched “The Minimalists: Less is Now” on Netflix?!), so it’s especially important to not have extra “stuff” laying around the home.
Clean
When we say clean, we mean DEEP clean – corners you haven’t touched in years, underneath furniture, ceiling fan blades; everything in the home needs to be wiped down. Scrub like you never have before, as you’ll want your home to look picture perfect (literally) to potential buyers. Not to mention that your home will smell nice and fresh when people come to tour – an added bonus.
Curb appeal
Other than initial images people may view, your front yard is going to be the first impression potential buyers have of your home when coming to tour. You can only make one first impression, so you have to make it count!
We went into detail recently about spring curb appeal ideas you can implement, but a few quick notes of what you can do include picking up debris, adding outdoor furniture, or hanging up a new “Welcome” sign.
Touch Ups
No need to go crazy here, but a few touch ups here and there throughout the home could go a long way for a potential buyer. Painting is the main thing that comes to mind, as you’ll want to stick with neutral colors to be more pleasing to the eye of viewers. Touching up with neutral colors throughout the home also allows the potential buyer to more easily envision their own potential decorations or color scheme they might want to implement if they end up buying your home. Any other minor updates that can be made (such as oiling squeaky hinges or refinishing floors) can make a big difference to people that are house hunting for the perfect place.
Lighting
Important for both pictures and in-person tours, you’ll want to make sure that there is good lighting throughout the home. People are naturally more drawn to brighter photos versus gloomy, dreary imagery, so you’ll want to make sure curtains are spread apart to allow for a lot of natural lighting to come through.
You’ll also want to go through and make sure that any and all lightbulbs, both inside and outside, are replaced and working. Although it’s not mandatory to leave the home with working lights, it’s a special touch to be able to view the home from all angles and lighting circumstances.
Preparing to sell your home can no doubt be stressful, but starting off the process with good images and a tidy home for tours will put you on the right path of the selling journey. If you’ve been thinking about selling your home, let our team help you make the experience a smooth one.
