Home Staging Tips
When real estate agents talk about home staging, it is a decorating method and making the home look absolute best when potential buyers walk in. It is essential to give a positive impression when putting a house on the market. It requires necessary preparation to boost the home's value and appropriate presentation to sell it quickly. Thus, home staging is to highlight unique assets and downplay weaknesses. It would be ideal for presenting it so that buyers can imagine themselves moving and living in that place.
Not all sellers know that it is crucial to staging their homes; that is why they need real estate agents to help them in taking an extra step to present their homes beautifully to attract more offers. It is to flatter the property without making it too obvious.
Why is Home Staging Important?
If the objective is to sell a property, it deals with a substantial financial transaction, and sellers want to gain from higher seller prices with a shorter time in the market. Staging does not necessarily change the structural aspects of a home but more on the aesthetics. It is a way of convincing potential buyers to create a more emotional purchase by allowing buyers to imagine that the property fulfills their dream and improves their lifestyle.
According to a study done by the National Association of Realtors, home staging is beneficial for both buyers and sellers. As agents of both parties say, it helps buyers visualize the property as their own while it helps sellers increase the value of their home significantly. Moreover, it makes sense for sellers to put extra time and effort into home staging without spending a lot of money.
Here are Some Tips:
Clean Thoroughly
No one wants to see dust and dirty bathroom during the viewing, so they must have some time to clean their home correctly. Everyone appreciates a clean house where every corner is squeaky clean. It gives an impression that the current owner took good care of the property. It would be best if they cleaned as they have never cleaned before.
Patch and Repair
It is a great time to inspect the entire house for scratches or holes to be repaired. Any impurities may imply neglect to some buyers. Scan for parts that need some paint touch-ups.
Focus on Spaces That Counts
According to the survey, the rooms relevant to home seekers are the living room, master bedroom, kitchen, and dining area. These are the rooms that require more attention since these spaces can influence the decision-making process of buyers. As a result, they can save some time and energy for rooms that would not make much difference.
De-personalize the Space
Since staging a home is to allow buyers to envision the property as their future home, the sellers must remove personal items. For example, they can keep their framed photos on the walls out of sight, remove individual hygiene kits from the bathroom like toothbrushes, or wipe out clothes clutter. When they remove personal items like family portraits, they can replace them with artwork hanging at eye level and not leaving the walls blank. In that way, potential buyers can imagine themselves living inside the house with their stuff. In addition, the space is the selling point, so tidying a home will make it look more prominent and more desirable.
Not Dull, Just Neutral
Appealing to most people is challenging, and bright colors on walls might turn off someone who does not like being dramatic. Bold colors can distract them, so keeping it neutral is the way to go. Light and neutral colors like white, beige, or gray can brighten up the space, and it complements well with any color. They can choose accent colors which can be vibrant or pastel shades, to spice it up. They can also base the accent color with the season. For example, during spring and summer, they can use floral patterns and use plants as ornaments. A neutral home during the staging part gives potential buyers a sense of clear canvass to allow them to express their personality in the space.
Rearrange Furniture
There is a myth that when furniture is pushed against the walls, it makes the room feel larger, but that is not always applicable. They can rethink furniture placement better to furnish the space like reposition sofa and table to improve the flow. They have to make sure that it will open up the room, so it would be ideal for getting rid of oversized pieces, damaged pieces, and those that do not match the rest of the room.
Remove Any Sign of Pets
Pets are part of the family, but sometimes signs of having pets living in the home may not be a strong selling point. If sellers and agents made the staging right, the people viewing the property could not tell if a pet lives there. It is better to pack and remove everything pet-related. They can vacuum thoroughly remove pet hair from the carpet or cushion or hire a professional cleaning service to help.
Make It Fresh
Honestly, pet odors are very stubborn, and they might need pet-friendly cleaning solutions to remove them. Deep cleaning should take care of any lingering smells or offensive scents. It is not advisable to bring in strong fragrances to mask these unpleasant odors. They can use a diffuser with a low setting to improve the ambiance, but it is still subtle and not overpowering.
Conclusion
Home staging is necessary before putting a house in a listing. It does not have to be expensive with significant improvements but rather involves wise decisions regarding the presentation. Real estate agents should suggest specific changes that add value to the home and increase the chances of a successful sale since they have more experience in house viewings. Sellers and agents must work hand in hand in showing the property in the best light possible so that they do not have to worry about the right buyers stopping by. They can keep the space simple but welcoming to make an excellent first impression leading to a closed deal.