There are two kinds of people in life, those who love staging a home for sale and those that
loathe it. Whatever side of the fence you sit on, when moving home it is important that it is
done properly. Staging your home well can make it far easier and faster to sell and even get
you a higher price. If you are thinking of moving and want to start getting prepared here are
the best tips to get your home ready for staging.
1) Focus on the most used rooms
While you may love every room in the house, when it comes to staging it is best to focus on
the rooms that the buyers will be most interested in. This is the living room, master
bedroom and the kitchen. If you are going to spend any money or upgrades or minor
refurbishments, these are the rooms to spend it on. Even a simple fresh paint of the living
room and adding a few simple splashes of color with paintwork and candles can make all
the difference. It is great to have a flick through some of your favorite home magazines
and blogs to get some inspiration.
2) Refresh your space
Before you invite your realtor to start the viewings, it is important to make sure you have
optimized the space in terms of appeal. You want your home to feel fresh, clean and invite
the buyer to imagine living in it. For a simple refresh, buying new bed sheets for the master
bedroom can make a huge difference. These can always be taken with you for your new
home. Adding toiletries to the bathroom and making sure the kitchen is sparkling clean can
also go a long way to making your house feel fresh and enticing. Lastly, make sure things
smell nice by airing the rooms, using diffusers, or even baking fresh cookies. Who can resist
the sweet smell of carbs?
3) De-personalise the space
Remember the people viewing your home are going to be imagining themselves living there
or seeing it as a potential investment. While it is great to feature some attractive
decorations and make it feel homely, try and de-personalise the space as much as possible.
You can do this by making sure no clothes and clutter are lying around the house. Make sure
the bathroom has only fresh, clean towels and all coats and shoes are put away. De-
cluttering and ensuring your home is as tidy as possible will help the buyer to visualise the
potential of your home and might just speed up your sale.
4) Make an entrance
The first thing your buyers are going to see is the front of your home. Now is a good time to
pull up to your drive and ask yourself if anything could do with an upgrade. Changing the
windows and making sure your front door is freshly painted and looks in good condition can
make a big impact on that all important first impression. While upgrading your windows and
front door may seem like a hassle and expensive, the long term benefits of a quicker sale
and achieving a higher price for your property could make it worth it. If you are not sure if it
is necessary, ask your realtor for their opinion. After all, that is what they are there for.
5) Make and necessary repairs
Now is a good time to have a handy man on speed dial. When a buyer inspects your home,
they are going to be on the lookout for anything that needs to be repaired. This gives them
bargaining power over what offer they come in at. Making sure you have covered any
necessary repairs before you start viewing your property will put your home in the best light
and help to avoid any low ball offers. If you have any broken taps, holes in the carpet or
door handles hanging off now is the time to get them seen too. Even something as simple as
damaged curtains can make a difference so use this time to get everything fresh and ready
for show.
Getting your home ready for sale can be a challenging time, with so much to do and all the
emotions that go with moving home. Getting prepared as early as possible can help set you
up for a smoother transaction and have you under offer and moving on to your new
adventure before you know it. Start with these simple tips and you will be well on your way.
Good luck.
Read the Guide on 'Buying Foreclosure Properties'
Read our guide on how to sell your house fast for cash in any market conditions