If you want to sell your home as quickly as possible — and for as high a price as possible — one strategy to help you do so is to “stage” your home. There are professional real estate stagers who can assist with this process, but, in some cases, you can also do an excellent job of staging on your own. Essentially, staging involves setting up your home and decorating it in a way that makes it attractive to potential buyers.
Here are eight tips to help you stage your home the right way:
Keep your eyes on the goal: The primary goal of staging is to sell your home faster and at a higher price. Therefore, you’re not necessarily trying to make your home beautiful in the way you’d like to see it. You’re making it beautiful for others. Also remember that — according to many industry professionals — home staging achieves the following: (1) the ability to attract more interested buyers; (2) a faster sale; and (3) a higher price of sale.
De-clutter and clean: You may have grown accustomed to the clutter in your home, but that clutter doesn’t make for a nice feeling for visitors. Get rid of it, no matter how nice and “cozy” you think it looks. Also, clean your home until it sparkles and make sure there aren’t any bad smells.
Brighten: Bring more light into your home. Open the windows, clean the windows and paint walls with lighter colors if possible.
Focus on important rooms: If push comes to shove and you’re in a rush, focus on prepping the most important rooms in your home first.
Consider renting furniture: You don’t have to actually buy furniture to stage your home; you can rent it. Get rid of anything old and dingy and make sure your home has a cohesive style when adding new pieces.
Take time out to work on the exterior: The landscaping and exterior of your home should be as clean and beautiful as possible. It’s the first thing people see when they approach. Paint, repair, prune and plant as needed to bring your home’s exterior up to speed.
Are you ready to sell your home quickly and effectively? Learn about your legal rights and options to make sure that all of your legal ducks are in a row before finalizing a real estate sale.
