Staging Homes – Dress to Sell
Whether you are working with a real estate agent or selling your house on your own, it is necessary for your house to be cleaned, organized and set up to increase its appeal to potential buyers. This process is called staging.
Aside from increasing your house’s attractiveness, staging is also done so potential buyers can have a comfortable experience while going around your house and imagine what their new home is going to be like. This is why staging is an important step if you want to sell your house quickly. Here are some tips to consider:
De-clutter your House
The first step before decorating is de-cluttering. Your realtor will advise on what you need to organize or put away. An important point to remember is that seasoned realtors will advise you to put away half of your belongings (including some furniture) so a specific area in your house looks bigger. On your end, it’s up to you to decide what goes and what stays. These questions might help narrow down your choices:
- Have I used this in the past year? – Consider giving away what you haven’t used for a year because, chances are, you do not need it anymore.
- What can I live without? – This question will really help narrow down what is essential for you and for the space you’re de-cluttering.
While you’re at it, don’t forget to put away personal items such as pictures. You also need to put away any religious decorations. Basically, you are de-cluttering and de-personalizing spaces in your house.
Cleaning Nooks and Crannies
After de-cluttering, you now have to give your house a thorough cleaning. Thorough would mean cleaning the usual areas as well as the areas not usually seen at first glance. This includes wiping surfaces, switches and washing off small stains on the carpet or curtains. A thorough cleaning is needed to avoid putting off potential house buyers.
Sprucing up the Book’s Cover
Have you ever heard of the expression: “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Well, think of your house as the book. This expression doesn’t apply to the “cover” of your house because all potential buyers who swing by will formulate their first impression according to what they see. So you must make this first impression a good one, consider:
- Buying a new welcome mat for your entrance.
- Adding features for outdoor dining.
- Planting extra foliage in the backyard.
- Adding either fire or water features.
It does not take much effort to increase, what realtors call “cub appeal”. If you are unsure of what to add or update, ask your realtor for advice and referrals.
Painted Cabinets
Here’s an easy budget-friendly tip that you can consider. To update your kitchen or bathroom’s look, all you have to do is paint the cabinets. White is a great color to brighten up spaces as well as give a clean, modern feel to cabinets that are dark or made of wood.
A Pop of Color
If you feel a certain space is too bland, bring in small accents with bold colors. Good examples are throw pillows, artwork, flowers, and books. You can always get inspiration from the internet get ideas on how to make a room or space more appealing.
However you decide to stage your house, the main goal is to leave a lasting impression to potential buyers who might be the new owners of your house. Again, if you’re having trouble deciding what to add or update, ask your realtor so they can suggest something that can add value and appeal to your house.
Looking for some more real estate tips? Check out our other blogs here.