What is Home Staging?

Home staging is the process of cleaning, organizing, and decorating your home to have excellent curb appeal and look great inside. As a seller, this is incredibly important and beneficial. It will make your home look more appealing in pictures on the internet bringing in more potential buyers and can even get you a better offer (between 1%-4%) on the final sale price.

Another benefit of staging your home in a clean and organized way is that it will allow potential buyers to get a feel for home and imagine living in the space. According to an article on realtor.com, the median price of having a home staged is only $675 for the duration of your listing.

A great first impression

Staging a home starts at the street, it’s what we call “curb appeal.” Make sure to trim and edge your lawn, trim trees and bushes and cultivate flowerbeds. Make sure that your lawn is free of debris and clutter. Consider touch-up or repainting the exterior of your home if the paint is chipped or peeling. Make sure your front door is inviting and clean; replace or repaint if needed. Power wash the drive, sidewalks, porches, front pavement, fences, decks and exterior of the home if needed. If you have several cars find someplace to park them out of sight, people love imagining themselves in the home, and this can help create that illusion.

Let in the Light

Open all shades and mini-blinds; this gives an immediate impression of friendliness and warmth. For showings late in the day and at night, be sure to turn on all lights. Bright and airy bedrooms help to add sparkle to the character of the home. A gleaming and spotless kitchen helps to make the cook want to move right in. Consider repainting walls that are faded, chipped or soiled. A small investment in redecorating frequently brings an early sale at a higher price.

If it’s broken, fix it.

Sticking drawers, loose doorknobs, warped cabinet doors, dripping faucets and leaning fences can cause prospects to wonder if the home has been well maintained. If necessary, call in a carpenter or plumber. Don’t put off cleaning out the closets, attic or garage and discard all unnecessary items. Arrange what is left to show off the storage space to its best.

If your house has an odor, get rid of it. If you don’t know if your house smells, ask someone who will tell you the truth. “If they can smell it, we can’t sell it.”

Hire a Professional Stager

If you find that your furniture or decor doesn’t seem to show very well, it may be time to call a professional stager. Our team consults with a home stager on every property we sell. These pros will be able to bring in contemporary furniture, provide paint ideas, and anything else that will help make your home look the best it can.