Selling a property can be a daunting task, especially if you want to get the best price possible. One way to increase the chances of selling your property at a good price is by home staging (If you haven’t watched an episode of Selling Sunset, that’s Home Staging on steroids!) Home staging involves decorating and arranging your home in a way that highlights its best features and makes it more attractive to potential buyers. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of home staging and provide tips on how to stage your home for sale.
Key Benefits of Home Staging
Spending a little time & budget on staging your home is widely believed to have a significant increase in the value of your property. A wellstaged home is more likely to attract potential buyers and sell faster than a home that hasn’t at a similar value.
A little care & attention at the point of sale can really set your home apart & with so many properties on the market, home staging can help your home stand out from the crowd. Staging your home gives it a unique personality and makes it more memorable to potential buyers. Don’t forget, Home Staging also includes the exterior, particularly the front aspect. Kerb appeal is hugely important as a potential buyer’s first experience with your home!
Our Recommendations
Whilst we now know the power of Home Staging for achieving your home’s maximum value, it can feel like a daunting & overwhelming task. A simple list of recommendations that we would suggest to our clients, to get their home market ready are as follows:
- Declutter: The number 1 point & the most important is to ensure your home doesn’t appear cluttered to buyers, Remove excess items, personal belongings, and unnecessary furniture to create a clean and spacious look. Clutter can make rooms feel smaller and distract buyers from the property’s potential.
- Deep Clean: Make sure your home is spotlessly clean. Pay attention to details such as windows, floors, carpets, and bathrooms. A clean and fresh-smelling home is more inviting to buyers (fresh flowers really do work!)
- Depersonalise: Remove personal photographs, unique artwork, and other items that are highly personal to you & your family. The goal is to allow buyers to envision themselves living in the space and not feel like they are intruding on someone else’s home.
- Neutral Colour Scheme: Paint the walls with warm neutral colours like whites, greys, or warm beige tones. Neutral colours create a blank canvas that appeals to a wider range of buyers and helps them visualise their own furniture and accessories. Pop’s of colour are great but keep to soft furnishings if possible.
- Natural Light: This is a hugely important point for me personally. Maximise the natural light in your home by opening curtains and blinds or by removing heavy drapes entirely. Keep window areas clear, light & bright to allow the room to appear larger and more inviting. Sheer curtains are a great way to let more light in whilst softening and framing the window.
- Furniture Placement: Arrange furniture in a way that highlights the flow and functionality of each room. Create open pathways and ensure furniture is appropriately sized for the space. Rearrange or remove some items of furniture if necessary to optimise the layout & give the illusion of space. Rugs are great for zoning areas & soft furnishings on sofa’s & beds create a homely feel without cluttering a space.
- Home Repairs: Fix any visible issues or damages like leaky taps, broken tiles, or squeaky doors prior to the house going on the market. Buyers are more likely to be interested in a home that is well-maintained and doesn’t require immediate repairs.
Don’ts of Home Staging:
- Over-personalise: Avoid showcasing overly niche design choices that might alienate potential buyers. Keep the style more universal, appealing to a broader range of tastes.
- Excessive Furniture: Avoid overcrowding rooms with too much furniture. It can make the space feel cramped and cluttered. Stick to essential pieces that showcase the room’s purpose and allow for easy movement.
- Strong Odours: Focus on clean fresh smelling scents, nothing too overpowering. Certain candles & air fresheners can be too strong for some.
- Neglecting Curb Appeal: Don’t overlook the exterior of your home. Enhance the curb appeal by ensuring the front door is appealing, lawns / shrubbery is maintained & driveways or paths are clear. Potted plants are always a welcome addition.
- Leaving Personal Items on Display: Avoid leaving personal items such as toiletries, medications, or personal documents in plain sight. Securely store these items to maintain privacy and create a more professional presentation.
- Ignoring Lighting: In addition to natural light, ensure that all rooms have adequate artificial lighting. Replace burntout bulbs and consider adding lamps or fixtures to brighten darker areas. Have the agent turn ambient lights on prior to appointments to soften the look of Living Rooms and Bedrooms particularly.
- Neglecting Virtual Staging: If you’re using online listings, consider virtual staging to showcase the potential of vacant rooms. Virtual staging can help buyers visualise the space with furniture and neutral accessories. An empty room can feel daunting to buyers and difficult to convey a home over a house.
Remember, the goal of home staging is to create a welcoming and appealing environment that allows potential buyers to imagine themselves living in the space. By following these do’s and don’ts, you can increase the chances of selling your home quickly and at a desirable price.
In Conclusion, just some small tweaks could make a big difference to how potential buyers view your home. Don’t feel you need to do everything listed in this blog but remember, less is more (unless we are talking cushions!!)
Good luck & Lots of love, Jane xx
