By Affiliate Rita Alexander of Chrysalis Interiors
Home Staging
The home buying market is more sophisticated and better informed today than ever before. Buyers need to be impressed from the moment they drive up to a property. Home Staging will give you the competitive edge needed to sell your home quickly and for top dollar.
What is Home Staging?
Staging your home is somewhat like getting your home ready for company. But, it goes beyond that. While you might dress up a couple of rooms when you’re hosting a party, when making improvements to sell your home, you’ll want to set the stage throughout your property to create immediate buyer interest.
Can I Stage my Property or Should I Hire a Professional?
It depends. Before deciding if you can effectively stage your own property ask yourself:
- Can I honestly evaluate my home for necessary improvements and act on them quickly and effectively.
- Do I have the time to devote to the hours of work that may be necessary to organize and stage my home.
- Do I understand the design aspect of staging a home- this is an important aspect of effective staging. You’ll need to know how to create spaces within the home that flow and make rooms seem larger and more inviting. And, you’ll need to know when to edit and when to add furniture and accessories.
- Do I have access to the staging props, storage solutions and lists of people who can assist me in preforming the work involved in making my home show well.
- Does my home need a lot of work or just a touch-up. Be realistic.
- Do I want the quick sale for top dollar that staging will bring or am I willing to wait it out and accept a buyer with the best offer.
Answer these questions honestly and you’ll know whether or not you need professional home staging to sell your property.
Home Staging Tips that Work
- Bring in the light by eliminating heavy curtains and blinds and add lamps to brighten up dark corners.
- Make your foyer inviting by adding a lamp or overhead lighting.
- Clean windows- they should sparkle. If you can’t do it yourself, hire a window cleaner.
- Edit, Edit, Edit. Too much furniture and too many accessories can be distracting.
- Place furniture so that your rooms seem larger and more inviting. Never block windows and doorways.
- Accessorize for impact. Remember to use an odd number when grouping accessories.
- De-personalize. Remove family pictures, fridge art, crafts and any other personal items that reflect you and your family. Buyers want to see themselves living there, not you.
- If your rooms are painted dark, strong or unusual colors, repaint in neutral colors.
- Don’t forget your home’s exterior. Repair and paint front door if needed, prune over- grown plantings and add a welcome mat.
Think about hiring a professional to stage your home if you don’t have the time or resources to make your home a winning property. A well staged home will sell faster and for more money.