Dear Olivia,
I read recently that staging a home can help get it sold faster. I have no idea where to begin with staging though. How do I stage my home? Help!
Sincerely,
Wanting to Sell
You’re right – home staging can help you sell your home faster, which is why I recommend that all my clients spend some time preparing their homes for market before we list the home.
When you watch real estate shows on TV, you often see Realtors asking their clients to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on home staging. But that isn’t necessary to have a positive impact on how potential buyers perceive your home.
In fact, there are many things you can do to improve how your home looks and feels without spending a dime!
First, declutter your home by getting rid of things you no longer need or use. If they’re items someone else can use, have a garage sale or donate them. If the items are not usable, throw them away. The less stuff you have in your house, the larger it will seem. That’s especially true of closets and other storage areas.
Photo by kelsey roenau on Unsplash
Next, depersonalize your home by removing some of your family photos and other highly personal items. If need be, rent a storage unit temporarily to store these items. The point of depersonalizing is to help potential buyers envision themselves living in your home. It’s easier for them to do that if they aren’t constantly seeing your family photos!
Another free staging idea is to rearrange the furniture. Maybe you’ve angled the couch so you can see the TV better or perhaps you have your favorite chair in the middle of the room. While this is great for your comfort, it’s not great for highlighting the space in your home. Rearrange as needed to maximize the space and improve the flow from one area to the next.
Lastly, when it comes time for your Realtor to show your home, the last thing you should do before you leave is turn on every light in the house and open all the blinds and curtains. The more light there is in your home, the larger and more inviting it will seem. Just be sure you’ve deep cleaned every nook and cranny of the house, because with all that light, buyers will be able to see everything!
As always, if you have more questions about staging, buying, selling, or anything else related to real estate, don’t hesitate to give me a call at 307-856-3999. Also be sure to check out my free ebook Staging to Sell!
~Olivia
Lead Image (with changes): Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash