A well-staged home is imperative for great showings and a successful sale when putting a home on the real estate market. Sellers must shift their thinking from what makes their home comfortable for them and their families to what will appeal to potential buyers. They must also consider how to highlight the best features of their house for a quick sale and at a selling price they are happy to receive. Here are a few tips to help sellers stage their homes.
1. Give Each Room a Purpose
Sellers should be sure to showcase the purpose of each room as they stage. A bedroom’s purpose is to sleep, just as a kitchen’s use is to create delicious and healthy meals, and a living room’s purpose is for people to relax. By highlighting those purposes, you’re also giving prospective buyers a look at how they will live in the home. Yes, their bathroom may end up being a room where the counters clutter with hair products and makeup. Still, when they see the space with beautiful candles, a relaxing aroma, and towels reminiscent of what they’d find in a spa, they will want to be there.
2. Mirrors Add Light
Regardless of the time of day or the season, lighting – ideally natural, is extremely important. Even in the smallest of spaces, one way to do that is to use reflective mirrors or wall art. Those pieces will catch the light and brighten the room.
3. Too Many Books Close Up A Space
For avowed bookworms, their bookshelves full of books are a point of pride and joy. Unfortunately, when the time comes to show the house, too many novels in one space can be distracting and make it hard to imagine how big the room could be without all the shelving units. A real estate agent will suggest this staging tip, packing away some of those books before a showing and replacing them with some small collectibles in their place. The free space will make the room feel more open and break up the monotonous lines of a shelf of books.
4. Declutter, but Don’t Overdo it
The first thing sellers hear when they put their homes on the market, whether from a real estate agent or a professional real estate stager, is to declutter. That is always good advice. After years of living in a home, things accumulate. However, there is such a thing as decluttering too much. When that happens, there is minimal personality in the home, and it is difficult for prospective buyers to imagine themselves living there.
5. Potted Plants are Multi-Use
Not only are plants big in the décor trend and clean the air, but they are also great at filling empty space instead of furniture. It can take a room from looking too sparse and clinical to adding life, health, and vibrancy, this is a great staging tip.
6. Neutral Wall Colours Pop the Furniture
Sometimes, knowing what colour to paint the walls can be challenging. Should there be an accent wall? Should it be neutral but with artwork? Too dark will close up a room; too light, and it could look like an office. Find a muted, softer colour that allows the furniture in that room to pop. People don’t buy houses for the walls, but sellers should ensure they work in conjunction with the room’s purpose.
With staging tips, sellers shouldn’t feel like they are on their own. While many staging companies are available, many real estate agents will also know great tips from experience and have a professional stager they can recommend within their network.
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