9 Tips to Perfectly Stage Your House for Selling
Let’s be honest. We go through a worldwide health crisis, and people are scared. Because of this, few people actually think about buying a new home. If you want to sell your house right now, you have to do all that you can and pull out all the stops.
The fact is, first impressions count. This is a golden rule in real estate.
Organizing an open house event can do wonders when it comes to convincing people to buy, but few homeowners know how to actually make the home more appealing.
House Staging Tips that Increase Possibility of Actually Selling
1. Boost Curb Appeal First
In practically all articles you will read about open house staging you will see this tip. This is how important it is.
The fact is that people that think about the home tour first see its exterior. They actually decide on the spot about whether or not it is worth to look inside. The exterior of the house is meant to lure onlookers. Do this by:
- Power washing all walkways and the siding.
- Hanging easy-to-read house numbers.
- Mowing the lawn, reseeding or adding some fresh sod if it is necessary.
- Planting fresh greenery and blooming flowers.
- Washing all visible windows.
- Staining or repainting your porch floor whenever needed.
2. Clean The Entire House
A large part of property purchasing is making a home inviting, which is impossible when the house is not clean. You have to go through every corner of the house, from your floors to the corners in your windows. You have to remove all the grout and make sure that all surfaces sparkle.
Fortunately, it is not at all difficult to clean your house. However, to get it done right, you will need to, most likely, hire professionals. This is a perfect idea because pro cleaners have many different services and tools you do not usually have around the home. Say if you have a carpet in your living room which not clean then you can hire a carpet cleaning service to get it done in right way.
Never arrange an open house event or show the property to an interested buyer before you clean it.
3. Remove Clutter
Besides cleaning, you also have to remove all the clutter. This is something most people do not actually understand appropriately because they are attached to personal items.
It is not at all easy to remove personal items, and you will most likely need some offsite storage. However, this step is critical. Clear and clean surfaces, closets, cupboards, and floors always look better without clutter. The potential buyer will see the house as being more attractive.
Take it one step further and look at all the personal items, like a family portrait. Instead of having it there, replace it with an empty frame so you can allow the viewer to see himself/herself living there.
4. Create A Balance Between Lived-In And Clean
Having said all the different things above about clutter and cleaning, we should still highlight the fact that you need to show that the house is lived-in. The trick is to choose items that make the home more appealing basically.
As an example, you can always add a basked with farmer’s market produce or a vase with cur flowers. Even a bowl with fresh lemons close to the sink can make the area more appealing.
5. Style The Dining Room Table
In most homes, the dining room is actually a blind spot in terms of decoration. Having a huge dining table that looks uninviting and bare is simply not attractive. It would be best if you styled it to increase the appeal of the entire house. Having an oversized arrangement often looks formal and stiff though. This is why it is a good idea to just line the dining room with some smaller vessels. Place them near the table centre. This just looks a lot better.
6. Rearrange The Furniture
When you want to sell your home, the living room is definitely an essential part of the entire process. Symmetrical arrangements typically work a lot better than anything else.
Just pull the furniture off your walls. Then, use pairs (like with lamps, chairs, or sofas) to create an area that welcomes conversations.
7. Make The Master Bedroom Gender-Neutral
The master bedroom is another vital part of your home. You will have both women and men interested in the property. Because of this, you have to appeal to everyone. Do it with a tailored, clean master bedroom. Remove personal items and make sure no clutter is present.
With the master bedroom, you simply cannot go wrong with the use of crisp, clean linens, a folded blanket, and tasteful artwork.
8. Don’t Forget About The Closets And Cupboards
People that attend an open house want to see everything. This includes closets and cupboards.
With closets, the space available can easily make it or break it. It is a selling point that is very important for the buyers. Show what you have and take full advantage. When you have excess stuff present, please remove it. Just put it somewhere in a box. Around 20% to 30% open space should be present in every single closet to make an excellent impression.
With cupboards, you need to respect the same rule, but you should have some items present. Just make sure they do not look bad.
9. Convince People To Explore The Entire House
You want to place items that draw the attention of the visitor. A perfect place to do this is the top of your stairs, but you can also put some in corners or hallways. The goal is to pique curiosity so that you can keep the potential buyers as interested as possible. Some other examples that you can consider include hanging artwork, creating a window seat, an accent wall, a vase with fresh flowers, or a colourful rug.
Final Thoughts about House Staging for Selling
Keep in mind that the tips mentioned above are just some of the available options for creating a perfect open house that draws in the visitor. You should also pay attention to the things which the buyer will see first, like the doors and door handles. Keep them clean and get them changed if needed. This will build the interest of the buyer. However, this does not mean it is the only thing that can be done. If you feel that you cannot properly take care of the home’s staging, there are professionals who do this for a living. It is well-worth hiring them.