How To Properly Stage Your Home
Most anyone can tell you that preparing your home for sale can require some planning. It is not usually the case that everyone’s home at any given point is in perfect condition where it is ready to be listed on the market for sale. However, the good news is that you don’t always have to do large scale remodel jobs to get it to the point where it is ready for buyers. Staging can be a great and economical solution to enhance your home as you make it look its best for buyers. Here are some staging how-to tips.
Curb Appeal
Your home’s exterior is the first and last thing all visiting buyers will see so be sure it looks pristine. MAke sure your lawn, flower beds and walkways all look tidy and well manicured. Perhaps some new house numbers and a fresh coat of paint on that front door can do the trick.
Foyer
The next welcoming item is your foyer. Keep this organized with coats on racks and shoes put away. Consider putting a nice flower arrangement on a vestibule table for some color and life.
Declutter And Store
Visit each room and minimize all of your personal belongings. Be sure to also trim down the amount of decorating paraphernalia as well to make your rooms seem large and accommodating. The same goes for your closets and storage areas. If these are packed to the max they will seem smaller. Consider a storage unit for things as you widdle things down.
Clean
Don’t do a regular cleaning, do a deep cleaning. That means cleaning inside the cabinets, closets, behind toilets, under sinks and behind furniture. Don’t forget the importance of clean windows too!
Function
Have each of your rooms setup as they are intended. If it is an eat-in kitchen, put the table and chairs in it. If it is a guest room, have the bed setup and move that exercise stuff to the side.
Easy Updates
Repair anything that may be obviously broken. If there are any small cracks, fix and paint them so nobody is wondering if there is more to fix behind the scenes. Do you have any broken door hinges or loose cabinets? Take a few moments to remedy these issues so buyers don’t get the sense that there could be more deferred maintenance than what they see. Fresh paint can really go a long way for a small cost too.
Neutralize
Go room by room and take down anything that is too personal. Any photos, awards, collections and personal items such as blow dryers, makeup caddies, etc. should all be put away neatly. Make a clean slate for any buyer to easily picture themselves living in the home as if it were already theirs.
Evaluate With Friends
Finally, put your work to the test. Invite over one or two of your most honest friends that may have a discerning eye. See if you may have overlooked anything that they feel should still be addressed. When we look at something every day, we might not see it as much as the eyes of a visitor.