Staging is a word often used in Real Estate. Although taking your personal items out of your home and adding in model home furniture sounds like a wonderful idea, it’s not always realistic. However, there are certain things you can do to your home to give it a professional look when it comes time to sell. Making your home fresh, styled, and neutral are the keys to selling your house quick and for top dollar.
After making the decision to move, the work begins. In today’s market, houses are selling quickly. However, to get top dollar for your home, it is important to stage your house – either personally or professionally. The first step is a deep clean. A clean house is crucial to having people attracted to it. Getting your carpets cleaned and having your house thoroughly cleaned by a professional service could lead to more interest and a positive first impression.
The Staging starts with de-cluttering. Walk into your front door as if for the first time and take a good look around. Does your furniture fit the scale of the room? Is there too much furniture? Do all of your pieces have a reason to be there? For example, don’t put a lamp in the corner of the room if it doesn’t relate to anything. Everything needs to have a reason to be there or it must go. If you are planning on getting a storage unit between moves or selling some items, this is the time to make a list of furniture pieces that aren’t needed and store or sell them for the next move.
Secondly, personal style and flair is awesome unless you’re selling a home. For example, by having a Shabby Sheik or Southwest home, you’re shrinking your pool of Buyers. Take out patterned bedspreads, table cloths, and pillows and replace them with solid, neutral tones. Not only will it make the room look larger but this small change will also make it more relatable to Buyers. Remember, you don’t want a small group of Buyers relating to your personal style but a large group of Buyers relating to your house.
Lastly, now that you’ve cleaned the house, removed your personal items, and de-cluttered, it’s time to look at paint. Paint is an inexpensive way to bring in your favorite colors and personalize your home while living there. But, it’s time to make your house neutral again and a fresh coat of paint brings it all together. By painting your interior a light beige, taupe, or grey, it not only makes your house look bigger, brighter, and clean, it also allows the Buyer to imagine their personal items in the house. Once a Buyer starts to imagine this, it’s only a matter of time before your offers come in!
