Discover expert home staging tips and strategies to sell your house faster and for top dollar.
Selling a home quickly and for top dollar is the goal for most homeowners on the market today. In a competitive real estate environment, home staging has become an invaluable strategy to make a property stand out and appeal to potential buyers. Proper staging can increase a home’s perceived value, make it more attractive to buyers, and ultimately lead to more showings, offers, and a higher selling price.
This comprehensive guide will provide tips and advice on how to effectively stage your home to maximize its sales appeal. From decluttering and depersonalizing to cosmetic improvements and accent décor, we’ll explore the essential steps to showcase your home in the best possible light. With strategic home staging, you can capitalize on buyer interest and sell your property faster.
Understanding Home Staging
Home staging refers to preparing and showcasing a home for sale in order to increase its appeal to potential buyers. The goal is to showcase the home’s best features and positive attributes while minimizing any flaws or issues. Staging helps buyers visualize the property as their future home and lifestyle.
The key benefits of staging a home before listing include:
- Increased Perceived Value: Strategic staging can increase a buyer’s perceived value of the home by showcasing its potential and best features.
- Faster Sale: Staged homes often sell faster, as they immediately appeal to buyers. Minimal staging time also means less time on the market.
- Higher Selling Price: Homes staged effectively typically sell for higher prices compared to non-staged homes.
Preparing Your Home for Staging
Before calling in home stagers, there are several DIY preparation tasks you can undertake to get your home ready for staging. This “pre-staging” helps create a blank canvas that will allow the home’s best features to shine.
Decluttering and Depersonalizing
The first step is to thoroughly declutter and depersonalize your home. This includes:
- Removing personal photos, family memorabilia, and clutter from all rooms. Buyers want to envision the home as their own.
- Organizing and minimizing clutter in closets, cabinets, pantries, and storage areas throughout the house.
- Donating, selling, or storing excess furniture and household items you no longer need.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Next, do a deep clean of the entire house, including:
- Clean all floors, windows, walls, light fixtures, and surfaces until they are spotless.
- Steam clean carpets and rugs to remove stains, odors, and imbedded dirt.
- Ensure the home has a fresh, clean scent using air fresheners or scented candles.
- Maintain the exterior by mowing, pruning landscaping, and sweeping walkways.
Repairs and Updates
Address any visible damages, repairs, or necessary updates, such as:
- Repair cracks and holes in walls. Paint any discolored walls in neutral tones.
- Update fixtures, hardware, and light bulbs with modern finishes and increased wattage.
- Make sure all appliances, HVAC systems, and utilities are in good working order.
- Improve curb appeal by painting, power washing siding, or sealing driveways.
Staging the Exterior
Your home’s exterior and curb appeal make the all-important first impression on buyers. Ensure it looks welcoming and well-maintained.
Curb Appeal
- Keep the lawn freshly mowed and edged, trees and bushes neatly trimmed, and garden beds weed-free with fresh mulch.
- Sweep walkways and clean the driveway and exterior surfaces. Remove any oil stains.
- Add pops of color with potted plants, flowers, or wreaths on the front door.
Outdoor Living Spaces
- Furnish and arrange patios, decks, or balconies to showcase their full potential as functional outdoor living areas.
- Place outdoor rugs, cushions, throws, and decorative accessories on patio furniture.
- Ensure exterior lighting is in good working order to highlight gardens, pathways, and architectural features.
Staging the Interior
Moving inside, thoughtfully furnish and decorate each room to create an appealing ambiance for buyers.
Entryway
- Make a strong first impression with a clean, uncluttered entryway. Add a welcome mat, decorative touches like a mirror or console table, and fresh flowers.
- Remove shoes, outerwear, keys, mail, and other clutter.
Living & Family Rooms
- Arrange furniture to create intimate seating areas and maximize open space. Remove oversized or excessive furnishings.
- Incorporate decorative pillows, throws, rugs, and artwork to add visual interest, color, and style.
Dining Room
- Set the table with your best dinnerware, linens, and tablescape accessories to help buyers envision hosting dinner parties.
- Ensure the room is well-lit by adding lamps or installing brighter bulbs.
Kitchen
- The kitchen should be clean, clutter-free, and minimally decorated. Remove small appliances, spices, towels, and magnets from the fridge.
- Stage kitchen islands or peninsulas with a bowl of fresh fruit to add color and appeal.
Bedrooms
- All beds should be tightly made with pressed linens and decorative pillows or throws. Remove any extra furniture and personal items.
- Add lamps, rugs, artwork, and soft textures to create a restful oasis.
Bathrooms
- Bathrooms should be spotlessly clean. Clear all counters and add matching towels, soap dispensers, small plants, and candle accessories.
- Repair any dripping faucets, cracked tile or grout, or mold issues.
Lighting and Ambiance
Proper lighting can make a tremendous impact on the overall ambiance and appeal of the home.
Utilize Natural Light
- Open all curtains, blinds, and window treatments to let in as much natural light as possible.
- Prune back trees, shrubs, or awnings that block exterior light sources.
- Show the home during daylight hours when possible.
Enhance Artificial Lighting
- Replace any burnt out light bulbs and upgrade dimmer switches or overhead fixtures as needed.
- Add table and floor lamps to brighten up dark corners and accent lighting to illuminate architectural details or artwork.
- Use dimmers to create soft, inviting mood lighting in living areas and bedrooms.
Staging on a Budget
You don’t need an unlimited budget to effectively stage your home. There are many DIY projects and affordable ways to maximize your home’s appeal.
- Focus efforts on public living spaces like the entryway, living room, and kitchen where you’ll get the most bang for your buck.
- Rent furniture pieces just for staging key rooms.
- Repurpose and rearrange existing furniture and décor items throughout the home.
- Add inexpensive accents like fresh flowers, throws, candles, or bowls of fruit.
- Paint walls in neutral hues and fix minor repairs yourself.
Staging for Specific Rooms
Certain rooms in your home may require a unique approach to staging.
Home Office
- Stage home offices to look like an efficient and professional workspace. Add a desk, chair, computer, and minimal accessories.
- File away papers and remove clutter.
Kids’ Rooms
- Remove excess toys and furniture so the room appears spacious.
- Maintain a tidy, clean room suitable for guests. Add age-appropriate books, stuffed animals, or positive quotes on the walls.
Basements & Attics
- Make sure these spaces are clean and free of moisture or musty odors.
- Add lighting and arrange furniture to showcase the room’s potential as a playroom, home gym, storage area, etc.
Staging for Specific Home Types
The staging strategy should align with the type of home you are selling.
Apartments/Condos
- Highlight amenities like a pool, gym, security systems, and proximity to public transportation.
- Creatively arrange furniture and décor to make small spaces appear larger.
Historic Homes
- Play up unique architectural details like crown molding, hardwood floors, and ornate fireplaces through staging.
- Blend classic, vintage-inspired décor with modern updates to appeal to a range of buyers.
Luxury Homes
- Highlight high-end finishes and appliances using elegant, sophisticated staging.
- Incorporate artwork, ornate furnishings, and luxe materials to match the home’s upscale features.
Staging for Specific Buyer Profiles
Tailor staging to the demographics likely to purchase a home in your area.
Families
- Create a kid-friendly atmosphere with bright, playful colors and accessories.
- Showcase family spaces like the backyard, playroom, and family room.
Millennials
- Use modern, minimalist staging with tech-friendly smart home elements.
- Emphasize green building features and energy efficiency.
Downsizers
- Focus on accessibility, convenience, and low-maintenance living.
- Highlight storage solutions and single-floor living arrangements.
Maintaining Staged Homes During Showings
Preparing for showings quickly and efficiently will keep your home in ideal staged condition.
- Do a final walkthrough to pick up clutter, run the dishwasher, and ensure the home is clean.
- Remove pets and pet items like food bowls, beds, and toys during showings.
- Leave on all lights and open window coverings fully.
- Keep driveways and walkways clear for agent and buyer access.
Measuring the Success of Home Staging
Track these metrics to gauge the impact and success of staging your home.
- Number of showings and open houses
- Feedback from real estate agent
- Number of offers received
- Final sale price compared to initial listing price
- Average number of days on market
- Percentage of listing price received
By analyzing this data, you can calculate your home staging return on investment. Often, the costs of staging are recouped through the higher offer price and faster sale timeline.
Conclusion
Home staging requires an investment of time, effort, and money upfront. But it can pay off exponentially by boosting your home’s appeal and sale price. By following these tips to highlight your home’s best features, you can sell your property faster and for the maximum value. Staging creates the ideal environment for buyers to see the potential and envision your house as their future home.
