Buying a home is an emotional purchase. Home staging is defined as visual merchandising to showcase a home so it looks bigger and brighter. Professional stagers use lighting, furniture and decluttering strategies so that the home appeals to the greatest number of buyers.
Staging shows specifically how each room can be used so that prospective buyers can easily imagine their family living there. The Mortgage Reports claim that a staged home is more likely to warrant a walk-through.
Home staging has become an integral part of preparing to sell a home. The reasons real estate agents encourage sellers to stage their home is because it sells homes faster and for a higher price. Investopedia reports that 77 percent of agents claim that home staging works because it creates a welcoming atmosphere that makes it easier for buyers to visualize the property as a home for them. Investopedia published results of a National Association of Realtors (NAR) report stating that buyers offer between one and five percent more for staged homes on average, with some prices totaling as much as ten or twenty percent more.
1. Transform the master bedroom into a relaxing getaway that appeals to both genders.
The master bedroom is a room that home buyers evaluate carefully when looking for just the right spot to settle in. Since many couples view the master bedroom as their personal retreat at the end of a long day, staging that room with comfortable and cozy furnishings that appeal to both genders is a must. High-quality neutral beds and dressers from a store like Ecosa is perfect for achieving this affect.
2. Declutter and clean the house and garage.
Trulia recommends packing up knick-knacks and other personal dust collectors that are sitting on furniture surfaces. Family photos also need to be packed away. Remember, the goal is to make buyers imagine living in your home.
Declutter and clean closets too. Buyers often reject a home they like because they decide there is not enough storage space. Don't think that tucking away some things in the closets means they are out of sight.
3. Remove extra furniture and redecorate.
Many buyers rent a storage unit to store all the extra furniture they have in their home that gets in the way of a sale. It should be easy and effortless to walk through a room without bumping into excess furniture. Homes look bigger with less furniture.
Rooms should be redecorated with "flow" in mind. A strategy that works well for accomplishing a better room flow is to replace square and rectangular furniture with some circular pieces to cut off corners and give people more room to maneuver around the area without bumping into furniture.
4. Lighten up the house.
It is important to let the light into rooms so they are cheerful and appear larger. HGTV recommends using light paint shades and strategically placed lamps and overhead lights to help Mother Nature along. Be sure to replace heavy curtains that keep the light out or open them wide so the natural light will spill into the room.
5. Focus on curb appeal.
Curb appeal is crucial for getting new buyers to come inside the house to take a look around. Basically, the curb appeal is what a potential buyer sees when they pull their car up in front of your house and see it for the first time. If the outside of the home does not look appealing, then many buyers will drive right by.
A few tasks to consider to improve curb appeal are:
Clean windows.
Mow and edge the lawn.
Trim bushes and trees.
Plant flowers.
Place potted plants and furniture on front porch.
6. Make simple and inexpensive upgrades to the kitchen for a modern feel.
Kitchens sell homes. As a gathering place for the family, kitchens are no longer simply utilitarian rooms for cooking. While you can spend tens of thousands of dollars to remodel a kitchen, there are some inexpensive hacks that can be used to bring a fresh new look to this important room.
Instead of replacing kitchen cabinets, you can stain them or repaint them. Next, you can add some interesting hardware to complete the new look for a modest outlay of cash.
Stainless-steel appliances are very popular with buyers. Instead of replacing old appliances with new ones, there is an affordable way to achieve the same goal. There are stainless-steel coverings that can be affixed to the front of your appliances. This means you can upgrade your kitchen appliances for cents on the dollar.
7. Repair and paint old decks to create a restful outdoor retreat.
There are far too many decks on the back of homes that are in need of repair. It does not cost much to re-stain or repaint a deck that is beginning to show signs of age. There is no reason for an ugly, dilapidated deck to negatively impact a potential sale.
Conclusion
By spending a few dollars on staging a home prior to selling it, smart sellers can reap significant benefits. By comparing your home to other homes in the area, it should be obvious what you need to do to shine as one of the nicest homes in the neighborhood.
