Home staging is a vital step in selling a home. A staged home can sell much quicker than an un-staged home. While it can be easier to stage a house with a professional, it is something that can be done by the current owner.
Staging can take some time and thought, but it does not have to cost a lot of money. The best-staged homes concentrate on leaving most of the work up to the imagination of the buyer.
Blank Slate
The number one mistake that homeowners make with home staging is forgetting to clear out personal items. Anything that could be linked directly to the family living there, like photos, should be packed away. Items that could be controversial and offend someone should also be hidden from sight. If possible, these items should be put into a storage unit so they are not cluttering up the closets.
The idea of home staging is to set the area so the buyer is able to envision living there. With personal belongings in the home the buyer is going to feel like they are visiting someone’s home instead of viewing their potential home.
Do Not Over Stage
While it seems like the entire house needs to be perfect to sell, that is not the case. While the entire house does need to be clean and tidy, there is no need to stage every room. The important rooms that people frequent should be staged. Concentrate on the kitchen, living room, the main bedroom, and bathrooms.
The other rooms in the house, including any guest rooms or office spaces, do not need to be staged either. These rooms can be left unstaged to allow the potential buyers to see their own belongings in the area.
Depending on their needs the office may become a playroom or a gym. With a blank canvas potential buyers can imagine the possibilities the house has.
Furniture and More
Furniture is only the foundation of home staging. It is the smaller items that really make a house seem like a home.
Be sure to pick decorations that are able to complement the room that they are in. Put decorations on coffee tables, dining room tables, even on the counter in the kitchen.
However, there is a fine line between decorating and cluttering the house.
A few ideas for decorating is to concentrate on the items that people aspire to have in their homes when guests come over. Put out cutting boards and utensils in a holder to make the kitchen appear lived in, but neat. All towels hanging should be decorative and appeal. Add fake fruit to a bowl on the counter or table for a bit of color.
The bathroom should smell good, but not overwhelming. Consider using a light, pleasant scent or potpourri. To really sell a house to a couple placing a rubber duck on the edge of the tub can send them into imagining their future children. It is a subtle hint that the house can be somewhere they could raise a family without being too over the top.
Change the Layout
Many people naturally push their furniture against the wall. While it sometimes works better for the flow of the room, try keeping the furniture off the wall space.
Always make sure that seating arrangements are good for conversation. Facing couches and chairs towards each other can help a room feel more welcoming to having guests visit.
Less is More
While many people want to add a lot of furniture and decorations to their home, staging does not need all of the extra clutter. If in doubt about how many items are in a room, take some out. It is always better to have less clutter in the house.
It is great to encourage someone to feel welcome with an inviting room, but going overboard can make it hard for people to imagine themselves in the house.
To sell a house a homeowner should utilize home staging. Whether with a professional or not, the house needs to be clean, clutter-free, and inviting. A little décor goes a long way in a house with tastefully structured furniture.
Concentrating on the main rooms will make home staging easier. It will also help potential buyers start to imagine their life in the house and hopefully encourage them to make an offer.