6 Tips for Staging Your Home for a Fast Sale

Staging your home helps ensure your home will sell quickly and for the highest price and gives potential buyers the impression of value before they even step foot inside your door. Most home buyers will decide whether to buy a house in the first 20 seconds of walking through the front door. This is why it’s so important to consider how to present your home to potential buyers. Unfortunately, many people think they can stage their own homes, thinking that purchasing furniture, artwork, and accessories is all that’s needed to make a home look great. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when staging your own home is not understanding how staging affects buyers’ perceptions. In this article, you’ll discover the best tips for staging your home for giving it that “wow” factor — without spending more than necessary. 1. Make it look like home — not a set You might have heard about “depersonalizing” your house before an open house, but that doesn’t mean stripping it bare or covering everything. Instead, it means removing anything too uniquely yours, so potential buyers can picture themselves living there (no matter how offbeat their sense of style might be). Don’t remove all traces of you and your family; put away personal items and excess clutter so buyers can envision themselves relaxing in your home. Remove personal stuff like family photos, diplomas, and other memorabilia, so people can envision their own family in your space but leave enough furniture so that rooms look lived in instead of empty. 2. Set the mood You don’t just want people to see your home — you want them to fall in love with it. When they walk in the front door, they should feel like they see their future life unfold before them. You can set the mood by keeping things simple and uncluttered but ensuring each room has at least one eye-catching feature. For example, if you have a fireplace in your living room, make sure it’s clean and not blocked by furniture. If it’s winter, have a blazing fire in the fireplace. Make each room inviting. 3. Consider color and lighting Use neutral colors on walls and furnishings, so buyers can envision themselves living in the space. Boost natural light by opening curtains and turning on lights during open houses, even if it’s daytime. A fresh coat of paint is one of the cheapest upgrades you can make to your home. If you have time before you put it on the market, paint your walls a neutral color that will appeal to most buyers. It’s also important to consider how colors will show up in photos of your home. The colors you choose should complement your home’s architectural style and any permanent fixtures, such as countertops or floors, that won’t go with you when you leave. 4. Get rid of clutter It’s impossible to overstate how important it is to clean and de-clutter every room of your home before showing it to prospective buyers. No one wants dirty dishes in the sink, laundry piled up on the sofa, or toys scattered on the floor. Don’t forget windows, window coverings, and floors; they should be clean. 5. Put flowers in a vase Put flowers in a vase and place them on kitchen counters and dinner tables. Nature always adds a beautiful aura and aroma to a room, and it’s a beautiful touch — and who doesn’t love flowers? 6. Repair what is needed Nothing will turn off a buyer faster than seeing something that needs repair. Fix any holes in the wall or stains in carpets before showing your home to anyone else. If you don’t have time to fix certain things, consider giving them a fresh coat of paint. It’s essential that every part of your house is in good working order and looks nice. Ensure there are no drips or leaks under the sink, replace any burned-out light bulbs, and fix any doors that squeak or stick. If there is any damage to walls or ceilings, take care of it immediately so it doesn’t become a distraction during the showing. 7. Make the entranceway to your home attractive First impressions count, so set the stage for what’s inside with a beautifully manicured yard and curb appeal — flowers and greenery, a sparkling front door. Yes, the front door matters, and make sure it’s appealing and well-lighted so buyers get a good first impression as they arrive at your house. Trying something as simple as repainting or replacing the door can help make a solid first impression on potential buyers. The Bottom Line With a bit of work and time, your home will look amazing, which may convince potential buyers that it has been well cared for throughout your ownership and help set a higher selling price. Staging a home is an essential part of the selling process. You can have a lovely home, but if it turns off buyers, your home won’t sell. The tips above will help you optimize your space for showing your home, and hopefully, these suggestions will lead to an easier sale for you.