Home staging can be a seller’s secret weapon for a successful home sale. Staging allows you to highlight your home’s strengths, downplay its weaknesses and appeal to the widest possible pool of buyers. Whether you’re a first-time home seller or a seasoned pro, follow these staging tips to help solve simple selling problems and showcase your home.
Clear the Clutter
Remove unnecessary items from kitchen counters, bookshelves and tables. And don’t forget the closets — keeping a well-organized closet can showcase the amount of storage space your home has, which can be a top priority for buyers, according to ProBuilder.com. HGTV says having too much furniture is another contributor to a cluttered look. Consider rearranging or selling some of your furniture to help declutter your home.
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Depersonalize Your Home
The goal of staging is to make the home speak to everyone else, says HGTV. Remove family portraits and personal mementos, so that buyers can imagine themselves living in your home and making their own memories. Getting rid of personal knickknacks can also help your space feel more inviting and open.
Use Paint to Make Your Rooms Appear Larger
According to HGTV, painting adjoining rooms, such as your living and dining rooms, the same color can make them appear bigger and feel like one large space.
Consider Your Furniture Placement
Rather than pushing furniture against walls, HGTV recommends arranging chairs into conversational groups to help open up the room. This can also make the room’s traffic flow more obvious. You should also allow yourself the freedom to move decor and furniture from room to room, adds HGTV. A chair that you bought for the living room might also work well in your bedroom to help create a sitting area.
Repurpose Unfinished Projects
If you have an unfinished project, do your best to tie up any obvious loose ends. For example, if you finished putting up drywall in your basement but didn’t have time to tackle the flooring, BobVila.com says foam floor mats or area rugs are a great way to soften up the floor and create a more cozy atmosphere.
Every Room Should Have a Purpose
No buyer should be left wondering how they’ll use space in your home, HGTV advises. If you have a spare room you use just for storage, consider adding functional furniture, like an armchair, small table and lamp, to transform it into a small office or craft room.
Update Your Kitchen on a Budget
If your cabinets are old, dark and dreary, consider giving them a fresh coat of paint. You could also consider updating the cabinet hardware to give them some extra character. If installing a tile backsplash is out of the budget, This Old House recommends using a single sheet of solid material as an easy, affordable alternative to spruce it up.
Fix Bathroom Problems
Spend time cleaning up sink and shower scum, and add a fresh bead of caulk to your shower or tub if it’s aging, says This Old House. For an added touch, finish off the bathroom with rolled towels in a decorative basket and a few battery-operated candles.
Paint Your Walls a Neutral Color
HGTV suggests painting your rooms a fresh neutral color to help minimize the appearance of any dated finishes. Think beyond off-white and consider a warm beige or honey tone, or even a soft blue or green. Fresh neutrals are appealing to a wide range of buyers.
Spruce Up Your Curb Appeal
When staging your home, don’t forget about the exterior. Even in the winter, a little curb appeal can go a long way. Prune brushes, remove dead flowers (or plant new ones), rake the leaves and clean yard debris off the sidewalks. This can help potential buyers get a great first impression of your home.
Staging your home can leave a great impression on potential buyers. While you’re staging, consider what you might want to see when buying a home, and remember that a little extra time and effort could go a long way in the future.
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