Last Updated on December 15, 2023 by Jason Nguyen
As interest rates rise, competition is growing for home sales. An excellent way to stand out from the crowd is to stage your home. So, what is home staging? In a nutshell, staging is the process of preparing your home for sale by optimizing its visual appeal. Staging can include repair work, decluttering, depersonalizing, and more to appeal to potential high-quality buyers.
Staging a home can take some effort, but it may be worth your time. Some experts say that staging a home can help it fetch a higher price and spend less time on the market.
Some home sellers work with their realtors when staging their homes. An experienced real estate agency can offer the best advice on how to stage a home and what investments are most cost-effective. A local realtor with market intuitions can offer more on-target staging advice. For example, a top Oshawa realtor can tell you exactly what buyers in the area are looking for when inspecting a home.
Your first step should be to clean your home. A clean home gives potential buyer’s confidence. It shows that you’ve taken care of your property and care for it.
Read this guide for deeper input on how to stage a home like a professional. The following tips will help set the right impression on potential buyers:
#1 Depersonalize Your Home
Potential home buyers need to envision living in your property. For that, you must depersonalize your home by removing personal items like family photos. Removing personal items also allows buyers the chance to visualize their own style in the space.
#2 Declutter Your Home
Decluttering your home is a simple yet effective way to improve its appeal. Create a decluttering checklist and work on one area at a time. You can either donate the items you don’t need or move them to a storage place like the attic or garage for now.
#3 Improve Curb Appeal
Some updates and enhancements to the exterior of your home can greatly improve curb appeal. This includes things like trimming the lawn, mowing the grass, cleaning the exterior, changing the fixtures, and adding a fresh coat of paint. You may also need to refurbish the driveway if necessary.
#4 Complete Repairs and Maintenance
Repairs and upkeep are essential parts of successful home staging. Repairs can include painting walls, repairing leaky faucets, and replacing fixtures inside the home to give the aesthetics a boost. Upkeep can include completing yard work, cleaning the appliances, and replacing the lightbulbs.
#5 Fix the Flooring
No one likes to walk on dirty or stained floors or carpets. Unclean floors can leave a negative impression on buyers, especially if they have allergies. You can either clean with a vacuum and shampoo or hire a professional. Ensure that floors in key areas such as the kitchen, living room, dining room, and bedroom are neat.
#6 Enhance the Lighting
Your home should appear bright, warm, and inviting. The lighting should also complement the strengths of the home. You can enhance the lighting of your home by investing in the right type of lamps, mirrors, and curtains.
With your staging process complete, you can take high-quality photographs of the home to attract buyers and invite viewings. A beautifully staged home will fetch a higher price and sell quickly too.