You live in your house, so it stands to reason that it looks a little lived-in. You know it, the people who are considering buying it know it, your realtor knows it. Nonetheless, staging your house to look more like a model house than someone’s actual occupied home will help it sell faster and make it more appealing to potential buyers. You can even hire a professional to stage the house when it’s going up for sale, and if budget allows, you should! Talk to your real estate professional about your unique case. Or, if you would rather do it yourself, read this article for some easy staging tips.
A properly staged home serves as a clean slate that allows the viewer to imagine their family living there.
Make a Good First Impression
The first thing people will see when they arrive is your front lawn and entryway, so be sure your landscaping is on point and the entry area is clean and in good shape. A little curb appeal goes a long way!
Power Wash It
Power wash the porch, sidewalk, and siding. Be careful to use the correct attachment so that you don’t mess up your concrete or siding! Power washers pack a mighty force. Look for a “scrubbing broom” or similar applicator for your power washing job.
Make It Pretty
A bright coat of paint on the front door is a quick and trendy way to add character to your home’s entrance. Put a few potted plants near the front door, replace your welcome mat with a nice new one, and if you have a large front porch, stage some patio furniture in a nice sitting area so that prospective buyers and envision themselves relaxing there with a glass of wine on nice days.
De-clutter
This one goes for the entire house! Go through every room and remove extraneous “stuff” that’s cluttering up the counter tops, walls, and other visible surfaces. Put the toaster, blender, and other small appliances in the cabinets instead of leaving them on the counter top. Make a habit of putting your hair straightener and toiletry products away and wiping down the bathroom counters before you leave the house so it’s always show-ready. As much as you love them, put those macaroni masterpieces gracing the refrigerator away for now. You want to have a clean, minimal look that is free of the clutter involved in of everyday life. No piles of mail, baskets of unfolded laundry, or drying rack full of clean dishes!
Remove some of the less-photogenic items you use every day (like phone chargers and pill bottles) from your night stands and replace them with a small vase of flowers, lamp, or pretty decorative accent item. They don’t have to go far, just store them in a stylish storage box on or in the nightstand when not in use.
Miraculous Minimalism
Make your home magically appear more spacious by getting some of your furniture and unneeded things out of the way. Since potential buyers are going to be looking in all of the closets, shoving things in a closet won’t do! Rent a storage unit and pare down your belongings as much as possible, leaving only the clothes and other items you use all the time. A living room packed with furniture looks smaller, so consider removing a few pieces to create more open space.
Box up your out-of-season clothes and toys that are not played with regularly, and identify large items you can do without (like a treadmill or rarely-used desk) and move them all out to a storage unit. Better yet, take the opportunity to donate items to a local charity. Chances are, if you won’t miss something for three months while your house is on the market, you probably do not need it anymore. Having few things in the closets will make them seem bigger to buyers. Organize the things that are staying in the closet by color or size so that the closet looks appealing and not like a jumbled mess.
Good luck with your open house, and don’t forget, if you are ready to sell your home, check out our list of Circa Real Estate Realtors® to get started!
Photo Credit:
1604 Shearn, Listed with Lin Chong, Built by FW Heritage
942 Highland, Listed with Mary Wassef, Built by Renovo Homes
Last photo by Stills By Garcia, Staging by Reveal Home Staging.