Two Thumbs Up for Staging Your Home

Two Thumbs Up for Staging Your Home

Staging is more popular than ever when it comes to selling a home. But, you might wonder if it’s really worth the inconvenience and upfront costs for you, especially in a seller’s market.

Even with a well-maintained (and well-decorated!) home, staging can increase the price you end up getting for your home and decrease the time it stays on the market.

When it comes to stage, we have two options.  You can either hire a professional stager who can use their own furniture and décor for your home, and stage it in a way that works for your potential buyer. Or, your realtor can give you suggestions on how best to present your home with what you have already. Your realtor may even be able to bring in some of their own items to supplement what you have. 

Here’s a rundown of why staging is worth it:

Staging a home is not like “cleaning your home for guests” but rather it entails coming up with a marketing strategy that will showcase your home in a way that will appeal to the most buyers. It’s still is important to make your home sparkle and shine by cleaning but it’s this next step that makes selling your home more of a “business” goal that has a clear-cut purpose. How you live is NOT how you sell!  For example, that third bedroom which is part office, part storage closet?  That probably needs to be turned into an actual bedroom.  Really easy to do with an inexpensive bedframe and some stylish bedding from a discount store. Or, make it an appealing office space only if you think your potential buyers are searching for that right now.

Staging creates a positive emotional tug for buyers when they walk through your door. First impressions are so important and will linger after buyers leave your home.  We want them dreaming of their perfect life in your home, so sometimes we need to do some decluttering, sprucing, reorganizing and some extra storage space to get buyers to think with their emotions.  It can be easy and cost just about nothing. Your realtor should walk each room with you to tell you exactly what to put where.

Sometimes all it takes is a fresh eye. Your large leather couch or collection of pottery may be gorgeous and look great for your day-to day-life, but to buyers it could mean your home feels tight and cluttered. Remember, don’t take it personally!  When you are selling your home, it’s a product for sale, not the home you’ll be living in any more! 

When in doubt, go neutral.  You may love that turquoise wall, but most buyers will be distracted and only see the wall and not the spacious room and everything else your home has to offer.  Try to neutralize your home.  Right now, the best colors are the whitest white for doors, trim and ceilings, and a light grey for the walls.  You want to present as soothing, modern, and clean slate for new buyers to imagine their life in. 

Staging can give a room a purpose — create an office, a guest room, a reading nook that usually isn’t there. You don’t want buyers to wonder what they can use this room or space for while living there.  Instead, you want to show them what life could be like there, even if it’s not currently the way you are using the space.  Think about who the ultimate buyer of your home will be and cater to how THEY would use the rooms in your home and stage accordingly.

Take what you have and work with it by paring down, rearranging or relocating furniture and artwork, and also reconsider paint colors. You can prioritize a list of things and then decide what you’ll do and what you won’t do based on your budget. Remember, you can take it or leave it since it’s your home for sale.

A carefully staged home looks more desirable in online photos. Your online presence can either encourage buyers to check out your home or could drive them away, so each room needs to look like it has a purpose and is ready to move right into!  This will get you more people coming to look at your home, and the more people who come and see it means more offers and a higher contract price. 

When it comes to staging and making your home look it’s best, don’t feel like you have to figure it all out on your own!  It is your realtor’s job to position your home for the market and to get you the most money possible. Let me know if you need a realtor recommendation to help you get started!