If you’ve been looking for tips for selling your home, chances are, you’ve already come across home staging. Its benefits are undeniable - 83% of agents say that it makes it easier for buyers to imagine the property as their own. One-quarters of agents also believe that it increases a home’s dollar value by 1% to 5%.
But how do you go about it?
Simplify the Space
There’s no getting around it you need to tidy up and declutter if you want your home to attract good offers. This can be daunting if you’ve amassed a considerable amount of clutter over the last few decades, or if you’re attached to the things you own.
If you don’t know how to get started, consider working with a professional organizer. They can help you decide which items to keep and which ones to let go of. They can also make recommendations on storage facilities where you can keep bulky or valuable items while waiting for the house to sell.
You can sell or donate items that you no longer use, but which are still in great condition. This helps make decluttering easier and prevents waste.
Depending on the condition of your home, you may also need to hire professional cleaners who can clear the gutters, power washes the walls, and wash the window panes.
Designate a Clear Function for Every Room
The function of a room may seem obvious to you, but not so for potential buyers who have never lived in your home. That’s why it’s important to set a clear function for each room when staging your home.
For instance, it should be apparent to buyers that the living room serves as a space where the family can spend time together. This is where you’ll find the couch, TV, and perhaps a few shelves. However, bringing in items such as a pool table can make it look more like a media room than a living area. Likewise, including a playpen in the design can confuse buyers as to the purpose of the room.
Choose Which Rooms to Stage
Home staging can be quite an expense all the décor, furniture, and artwork can add up. So if you want to control the costs of home staging, you can focus on just three or four rooms.
According to the 2019 Profile of Home Staging, the most commonly staged rooms where the living area, kitchen, master bedroom, and dining room.
These spaces tend to be a property’s biggest selling points, so staging these rooms is worth the effort the report found that 47% of buyers believe that staging the living room is most important, followed by 42% who think that the master bedroom should be staged, and 35% who expect the kitchen to look immaculate.
Light Up
There’s no lack of sunshine in Arizona, so there’s no reason why your home should be dim or poorly lit during the open house. Draw the curtains and let in the sun.
If your home doesn’t get enough natural light, bring in metallic or reflective surfaces in the form of mirrors, chrome drawer pulls, and stainless steel appliances. You can also have some skylights built.
Air It Out
The smell of the home can also have an impact on buyers’ willingness to put in offers. If your house smells musty, air it out by leaving the doors and windows open. Remove damp fabrics and replace old linens, covers, and drapes with freshly laundered ones. Spray vinegar over mold and mildew. You can also bring in an air purifier with a HEPA filter.
If your house smells of food, cigarettes, trash, or pet litter, be sure to clean the property thoroughly, clear away used plates and utensils, and remove pets and litter boxes. Bring in a room deodorizer and scent up the house with candles or diffusers.
Depersonalize the Space
Depersonalizing your home makes it easier for buyers to imagine themselves moving in with their stuff. That’s why it’s important to stick to neutral décor and remove any items that mark the home as yours, such as family photos, travel souvenirs, and collectibles. This ensures that the home will appeal to as many people as possible.
