House Staging Tips For Beginners

By Mark Spain Real Estate

There’s a reason that staging companies exist – the process can be really hard work! However, it exists as one of the key ways you can help buyers envision themselves in your home and sell it fast! If you can’t afford a staging professional or if you want to try your hand at it first, you’re in luck! Some of the best at Mark Spain Real Estate has come up with the top 10 house staging tips to consider before listing your home:

House Staging Tips

1. Detach yourself from your home.

Staging takes the focus of your home away from you and puts it on the potential new owners; detaching yourself makes it easier to remove clutter and personal effects without getting too emotional. Staged versus unstaged rooms look completely different. If you have any questions, ask your realtor to show you some before and after photos so you too can see the effective change!

 

2. Decorate minimally.

Always clear out clutter and other personal items that can distract buyers: picture collages, hand-drawn artwork, calendars, etc. You aren’t selling your personal life, so don’t stage the house with it. Be sure to furnish the space to show off how functional it is; keep furniture light-colored and minimal to show how much space the potential buyer can get with their purchase. When buyers come through and can imagine themselves living there, you can bet an offer isn’t far behind!

 

3. Focus on the front.

Curb appeal is vitally important to your sale. This is a great way to attract buyers to your MLS listing even before a Realtor contacts his or her buyer. When a potential buyer drives by or even first arrives, you want them to immediately feel pleased with their decision to consider purchasing your home. You can hire a landscaper to clean up the front, or check out some DIY landscape designs on our Pinterest.

 

4. Deep clean your bathrooms.

One of the major things to throw off potential buyers is a grimy shower door or dirty bathroom walls. Because of this known fact, many sellers think there is a need to replace items used on a daily basis, but that is simply not true! You just need to be sure to find some tried and true cleaning techniques to get your house looking brand new. Or, consider hiring a cleaning company to do a “move out” clean. It costs a little more than hiring someone to clean on a consistent schedule but is a worthwhile investment in the event your home sells quicker than expected.

 

5. Decorate to appeal to both sexes.

It’s easy to allow your decorating bias to kick in and go to town on your personal bias, female or male, but try to keep things neutral. You want to make sure that either sex can appreciate the space and imagine themselves in it.

 

6. Stage rooms with an obvious purpose.

Potential buyers can feel confused by extra rooms that seem to have a multitude of uses. Clear away clutter and excess furniture, paint the walls a neutral tone and then furnish the room with a desk to stage it as a home office or fill it with bookshelves and a comfortable chair to help them envision a reading room.

 

7. New kitchen appliances really ARE worth it to buyers.

No matter what your personal taste, the majority of buyers love stainless steel appliances. They help create a clean, crisp version of your kitchen that anyone would love to call their own. Be sure to minimize the decor and clutter in your kitchen, too; this is the space that most sells homes.

 

8. Don’t be afraid to maximize your light!

Aside from keeping the shades or curtains open, it helps to keep many (if not all) lights on in your home when it’s shown, light a fire in the fireplace, or even purchase a few candles! Light-colored walls and furniture also help to brighten things up. Light creates a pleasant flow between rooms and is a way to naturally show off your home’s best features.

 

9. Unpleasant odors have got to go.

We all love our pets, bet they do create a certain smell in carpeted areas. Either has your carpet professional cleaned, replaced, or completely removed and hardwoods refinished before showing. Taking care of this before a potential buyer requests it is a great way to increase your offers and can help you to avoid unexpected expenses during the selling process.

 

10. Don’t ignore the outside.

I know we’ve already mentioned focusing on the front, but don’t ignore the back of your home, either! Make sure you power wash or repaint the exterior of your home. Also, take note of any decks, sidewalks, garage floors, and driveways that need a good power wash. Anyone who has owned a home knows how much work it takes to fix up an outdoor space; a move-in-ready exterior is an added bonus that many buyers will appreciate!

Want more real estate tips? Visit our blog!

Mark Spain Real Estate is grateful to serve all of Metro Atlanta and Athens in Georgia, Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina, Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville in Florida, and Nashville in Tennessee!