Last Updated on July 14, 2021 by Eric
Staging your home is a proven asset when it comes to selling your home. Some important statistics and findings to consider include:
- 83% of buyer’s agents said home staging makes it easier for prospective buyers to visualize the property as a future home
- 44% of buyer’s agents said staging a home increased dollar value
- 53% of buyer’s agents said that staging a home decreased the amount of time the home stayed on the market
- A 2020 study stated that “curb appeal can account for as much as 7 percent of a home’s value”
- A study stated that “Eighty-five percent of staged homes sell for 5 percent to 23 percent over list price”
Staging Your Home
When staging your home for sale many sellers turn to professional staging services. Their goal is to curate the home in such a way that potential buyers can envision themselves living in the space. This goes beyond “sprucing up the place”, there are tactics involved that can help hide flaws, show off features, turn odd spaces into usable spaces, utilize “emotional staging” methodologies, and provide a better photo opportunity for the property and its associated listings.
These services do come with costs and those expenses will need to be considered when selling your home. A professional real estate agent can help you make that decision for your home, neighborhood, and market. However, there are some simple (and mostly free) things you can do to stage a home yourself.
Tips For Staging Your Home
Everything about staging is psychological, and while professionals have an armament of tactics and methodologies to approach these situations, you can also make an impact by utilizing some of the tips below.
Clean & Declutter
There is a saying, “clutter eats equity”. And, when it is time to sell your home, it can have a direct impact on the offers you receive. For instance, a buyer may see clutter and make a mental note along the lines of “if this family can’t fit their stuff, how will it fit mine?”
A trip to a storage unit may be in order as an in-between to store these items, but even just neatly stacking boxes in the garage will do the trick. A buyer understands that the seller is still transitioning, finding boxes in the garage becomes “no biggie”, but the space in the house is already looking bigger – and, so will your offers.
Once the space is decluttered, begin the process of deep cleaning. Really put in the effort for those forward-facing items (window sills and mantle places for instance), but also get under appliances, in hard-to-reach corners, and all of the nooks and crannies of your home. The overall feel will shine through once you’re complete.
Move The Furniture
Now that you are setting the home up for looks, over function – moving furniture around can help create the feel of space and luxury. The biggest visual you want to create when doing this is what is called “clear pathways”. When a potential buyer walks into the home they should be able to freely move about the space from area to area, as well as see clear visual lines along the way.
Paint
This part isn’t free, but you can do it yourself. Most do consider painting as part of the selling process, the choice of color plays a role here, however. The best approach is a neutral pallet ( a beige or gray). While this can seem a little plain at first, once you get into the decorating part of your staging process, you’ll begin to bring color back. This creates a balance similar to those homes featured in magazines and online that everyone loves so much.
Simple Decorations (The Fun Part Of Staging)
Now that you have a clean, naturally flowing, and freshly painted house – it is time to set the stage. You can shop for bargain decorations, but you might be surprised what you can come up with utilizing your own stuff.
Some examples include:
- An area rug on the back porch/deck
- Brightly colored throw pillows
- A throw blanket on the couch
- Staging a breakfast tray
- Put out a vase with flowers
- Display fancy soaps
- Pull out your best dishes and set the table
- Display a cookbook in the kitchen
- Replace the shower curtains
- Put out the guest towels
- Accent rugs
Some places you can spend a few bucks include replacing handles and knobs on cabinets and drawers, slipcovers on old couches, and new sheets for the beds.
Things To Keep In Mind
You are creating the buyer’s journey through your home offering. A lot of times this feel must also match your most likely buyers’ expectations. If you live on a lake, go big on “the lake life”, ranch homes get ..ranchy (?), and so on.
Natural light is your friend. Utilizing natural light throughout the space will work wonders towards building the “vibe” – this might include removing window coverings, or even utilizing a natural spectrum light bulb where the real thing doesn’t reach.
Work with your agent. Your agent is your greatest asset in the selling process and even in the staging- stages, they can be an indispensable addition to your staging arsenal.
Contact us for help selling your home.
