Home Staging Do’s and Don’ts
First impressions are vital while selling your home. Yes, buyers want to see a home but they do not want to see clutter, toys, torn upholstery and anything else in excess. A beautiful home can make a buyer fall in love in the first six seconds and that is what a stager aims to achieve. With the right staging tricks, a professional stager can convert your home into a beautiful show-worthy house. Staging is not as difficult as it seems and we do have a few tips that you can follow.
What to Do
1. Remove all extra furniture from your home and pack it away at an external location. If possible, clean out the garage, attic and basement. Buyers will visit basements and attics to check insulation and settling and seeing extra furniture and clutter creates the impression of a small home.
2. Have the home professionally cleaned, remove family photos, knickknacks, clutter on counters and personal frames from the walls and windows. A staged home should look like a suite at a luxury five-star hotel and the master bedroom should be non-gender specific.
3. Have the carpets professional shampooed and paint the entire home the same neutral color.
4) Make your home the most appealing on the block by trimming trees, mowing the lawn, giving the exterior a fresh coat of paint, replacing the front door and planting flowers.
What Not to Do
1. Do not complete any major repairs on your home. Finishes, accessories, curtains, accents and fixtures are the limits of how much you can invest in the staging. Save your money for your new home.
2. Don’t think you know more than your real estate agent and don’t try to get them to list your property above fair market value. Realtors are the backbone of property sales and they can find an interested buyer in any market. Meet with your agent and listen to their advice before you begin the staging process.
3. Don’t think of the house as your home. Consider it a house or a hotel room that you have to return in pristine condition. This is difficult but it will make the sale process that much easier to deal with.
4) Don’t assume that all buyers are animal lovers. Try asking a friend or family member if they are open to watching your pet(s) during a showing as opposed to locking them up in their kennel.
Home staging is a not a one-size-fits-all. Some homes may require a bigger face-lift than other homes, but these do’s and don’ts can be applied to any home. It is recommended that you hire a professional stager than try to manage the staging yourself. Professional stagers already have the knowledge, accessories and furniture to convert your home into a show-worthy home and they will do the job quickly and efficiently. If your goal is to sell your home quickly, then hire the appropriate professionals to get the job done properly while you sit back and watch your house sell at the highest rate possible.