How to Stage Your Home for a Quick Sale

Selling your home can be challenging, but this can be remedied with home staging. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), forty-nine percent of real estate agents believe home staging has a big effect on potential buyers since it’s easier for buyers to visualize the house as their own.Home staging also increases a property’s value between 6% to 10% and decreases the property’s time on the market.Fortunately, many staging strategies don’t cost a lot of money. Here’s a guide to help sell your luxury real estate faster.

The Importance of Home Staging

Setting up your home may be one of the most beneficial investments in selling your home. This is because people aren’t just looking for structure; they’re looking for a space where they can build their lives.When done right, staging will help the buyers imagine their lives on the property. In some cases, you can sell the property for more if the buyer makes an emotional purchase.

What Should Your Budget Be for Home Staging

You can do staging DIY-style, but it’s always better to get the help of professionals. According to the NAR, people’s average amount on home staging is around $1,500.However, even if you have a lot of disposable money, don’t put too much into staging. You need to do enough to highlight the property’s best features. The goal is to make your home desirable to the market.

Home Staging Tips

Only Stage Selected Rooms

When it comes to home staging and selling, not all rooms are the same. Buyers will spend less time in rooms like the guest and children’s bedrooms. It won’t influence the potential buyer’s decision.According to NAR, the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and dining room are the most important rooms to set up.

Deep Clean

A clean home is essential in selling a property because it shows the potential buyers how good you’ve cared for it.Make sure that every inch of your house is shiny and spotless, from the floor to the ceiling and everything in between. You want to make it look like everything is new. People typically get new appliances, too, but thoroughly cleaning it is alright if you don’t have the budget.When you’re deep cleaning, don’t forget easily negligible parts such as the back of your refrigerator, behind the toilet seat, and dusty window blinds.

Declutter the House

In real estate, space is what sells, so make your home look bigger by getting rid of clutter. Clutter distracts people from the property’s best features, too.Pack away all non-essential items, including un-seasonal clothes, decor, and anything else you don’t need on a day-to-day basis. However, closets may not be good enough since buyers will be checking them for storage potential.An excellent way to go about this is by renting a storage unit. This way, you can hit two birds with one stone. You keep your personal belongings safe while making your house more spacious and desirable.You also get a head start on moving with a storage unit since your belongings are already packed up and stored away.

Repair and Patch

Before the buyers come to your home, make sure to repair tiny nicks, scratches, holes, and other imperfections. You can use a melamine foam eraser pad to remove any scruff from the walls. If you’ve noticed any areas with chipped paint, do touch-ups.It’s also important to note that cracks on walls or ceilings are big red flags to buyers since they’re a telltale sign of foundation problems, so make sure to get those fixed before you start showing your home. You can also get an inspector to reassure buyers that the foundation is sound.Just like with deep cleaning, your objective is for the property to look well-kept and as new as possible, making it more desirable for potential buyers.

Depersonalize and Go Neutral

If you’re selling your home, it helps to depersonalize the space to ensure a quicker sale. This means taking down collections, photographs, and other personal items. You make it easier for potential buyers to envision themselves living in the house by doing so.Making the interior neutral also helps, so go for safe colors, such as gray, white, or taupe.However, be wary of making the property too empty. In place of your personal decor, choose neutral artwork and decor. Here are some tips:

Choose artworks that appeal to a wide audience, such as nature, flowers, or landscapes. Avoid pieces that make political or religious statements.
Make sure that the artwork is the right size for the room. If it’s too large, it will make the room look crowded. It may look like clutter or get lost in the room if it’s too small. People generally get artworks that are 75% of your furniture’s space.
Add neutral decor accents like throw pillows to enhance your room and avoid making your sofa look too empty.
Make sure that the colors of your home are cohesive, so stage your furniture and decor accordingly. Before staging, plan out a color palette to ensure you tie the room together.
If you want to add accents to your staged home, go for warm neutral colors or patterns. For instance, patterned pillows will go well with a gray couch. Throw pillows are inexpensive, too, so they won’t break the bank.
If you can, store away extra pieces of furniture to make your place more spacious. They can be kept alongside your other belongings if you’ve acquired a storage unit.

Make a Good First Impression

The front entrance is the first thing a buyer will see, so you want to leave a good, positive first impression. Take down seasonal decorations and replace them with a simple doormat and potted plants.Strategically placed plants and flowers add life and freshness to the space. However, make sure that the plants you add have no odor to be safe. You never know when a potential buyer might have a sensitive nose.You can also opt for fake plants. They’ll provide the same aesthetic with less work.Consider power washing or scrubbing the front of your house, especially if you have a porch, stoop, or driveway. You’ll be surprised with how different your front will look after the deep cleaning.

Lighting

Nothing beats natural lighting, so let in as much sunlight in the house as possible. It will liven up the rooms, bumping up the appeal to potential buyers.Opening the blinds will make your room brighter and bigger. But if you didn’t have time to fix the yard, settling for open slats is okay. It will provide the same effect without revealing the problem areas.Turn on all your indoor lights during showings, including lamps and closet lights. Doing so will give a warmer and more welcoming ambiance.Lastly, remember to repair any broken or outdated lighting fixtures and clean off any grime to ensure optimal lighting.

Manipulate Space with Mirrors

For areas in your home that are light or dark, adding a wall mirror will make a positive difference. They’ll bounce off light and provide the illusion of bigger space.Keep in mind the following if you’re adding mirrors to your rooms or hallways:

Avoid funky shapes and keep it simple. Square and rectangular mirrors emit a more traditional vibe. Meanwhile, curved mirrors are more striking.
Opt for mirrors with classic frames, such as wood, metal, or plastic to appeal to a broader audience. You can go for ornate and gilded frames if you want something more dramatic.
Place the mirror across a window to make your room even more spacious. This allows them to reflect more light, too.

Make the Bed in the Master Bedroom

When potential buyers check the master bedroom, the bed will be the focal point and is one of the most critical items.Julea Joseph, a home staging expert from Reinventing Space, recommends getting new bed covers and duvet to bump up your home’s appeal. Getting a white bed cover will give your bed a new life. At the same time, it will emit a peaceful look while looking great in photos for online listings.

Eliminate Bad Odors

With scent being one of the most powerful senses, a foul-smelling home can understandably repel potential buyers. Remember to replace air duct filters, wash rugs and carpets, and eliminate any lingering odors from pets or everyday life.If needed, consider hiring a professional to eliminate strong odors. Adding air fresheners is also an option, but make sure to get a safe scent that’s not too strong.

Sell Your Home Faster with Less Hassle

If you’re planning to put your house on the market, Cami Jones can help. Our real estate professionals will ensure to get everything done accurately and efficiently, including staging, marketing, organizing showings, and paperwork.With our aid, you can save yourself a lot of headaches and sell your home as soon as possible. Contact us today for more information on your real estate services.