Tips for Staging Your Home Before Selling This Fall
Across the board, top agents agree that staging your home is one of the best ways to get potential buyers interested. As we get ready for the fall real estate season, now is the time to start thinking about staging your home. Professional stagers can take your home up a notch, but there are some DIY home improvements that you can follow to get your home ready to sell this fall
Declutter and Clean
Professional home stagers and realtors agree that the number one tip for staging amid Coronavirus is to declutter it and clean it. Your best bet may be to hire a professional cleaning service for an initial deep-clean. When it comes to clutter, while you may be used to seeing piles of magazines, dozens of family photos and your home office in your living room, the person who will buy your home is unlikely to appreciate their cozy appeal. If you aren’t ready to part with certain items, you can pack them up and store them. But the key here is to streamline your living room to essentials to make it fresh, clean, and open.
Living Room “Wow Factor”
The living room is the center of your home and when people view it during an open house, you want them to fall in love with it. Creating an emotional connection is about displaying an open and inviting space, by adding what stagers call a “wow factor” — a single item or a few key pieces that draw people in. This could be art on the wall, a sculpture on an end table, or a bold rug. Even placing a few accent pillows in varied textures on a couch can add to a living room’s “wow factor.” Visiting a local discount homewares store can be a place to search, you can borrow items from friends while you are staging your home, or, you can buy an item that you know you want in your new home, and use it for staging.
Create a “Home”
Staging invokes a feeling of home for potential buyers. In common areas, you want comfortable couches, and a sitting area where people can talk, watch television, and relax. Bedrooms are best kept in neutral tones with inviting spaces. Fresh flowers, plants, or a bowl of lemons or other fruit can be added in the kitchen or living areas. A throw rug can refresh a worn couch or chair and add to the sense of comfort in any room. Be sure windows are clear, or curtains are freshly pressed to make the room bright and inviting.
Details Matter
Paying attention to details is another tip that can help take your living room up a notch.
Areas that are often overlooked — like ceiling fans, blinds, and cords and cables — should be clean and tidy. Lampshades should also be cleaned or replaced with modern shapes for an updated look. Wooden furniture should be polished and paint on the walls and furniture should be touched-up.
If you keep your home, clean, simple, and tasteful, you’ll be well on your way to creating a space that will be intriguing to potential buyers this fall.
