Home Staging Tips for Higher ROI
The average buyer wants a home they can move into pronto.
From why it matters, to how much it can help your home, this is everything you need to know about preparing your property for sale.
Enhance Curb Appeal
Please don’t ruin a buyer’s opinion of your home before they even get inside! Updating your home’s curb appeal is the most affordable thing you can do; it just takes time and a lot of work.
Cut your grass, edge the lawn, trim any shrubs, and make sure everything looks alive and healthy. If you have to buy new plants, go for native species that are already used to the local weather. Native plants will save you from having to take on watering or pruning care when you’re already trying to sell a home.
Declutter and Depersonalize
Before you do anything else, you need to cut back on your clutter and personal items. Buyers don’t want to walk into the property and think of it as your home, they want to see the possibility of their own future within the home.
To do this successfully, take down any family photos or personal items that tie directly to you or your life, and work to declutter as much as possible. If you’re moving into your new home before you sell this can make the job even easier.
Deep Clean Every Space
Deep cleaning from top to bottom inside and out will make a huge difference. Scrub light fixtures, wipe down fan blades, and make sure to even pay attention to dusting light switch faceplates. The details are what makes the difference.
If you need more time, the main rooms to focus on are the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room. These are the areas that can disgust buyers the most, so get them sparkling clean before listing. Q-tip Clean!
Neutralize Color Schemes
You don’t have to go full gray, but you should go for more neutral colors throughout your home. You can still have a green bathroom, but going with sage green with black tile can be so much better than an emerald green wall with burgundy tile.
Take the steps needed to calm down any bright color schemes. Although paint is cheap and easy to apply, many buyers get so distracted by color that they miss everything else that’s wonderful about a property.
Maximize Natural Light
Natural light can make any home feel larger and cleaner, so invite as much daylight in as possible! Deep clean the windows, and consider upsizing them if necessary. Better lighting in kitchens and common living areas directly leads to higher value for your home and more interested buyers.
Highlight Key Features
Don’t be afraid to show off the best features of your home! If your property has beautiful arched doorways, consider framing them with lighting. Look at what you want your buyers to see first, and think about how you can guide their eyes towards these targets.
Furniture Placement and Functionality
Furniture placement can ensure a buyer takes time in specific rooms or quickly walks through space if you don’t want them to linger there. Think about the footpath that you naturally follow through the home and how that shows off or ignores the best part of the property.
Update Fixtures and Hardware
Fixing the details can take your property to a higher tax bracket in no time. Updating the small things, like face plates, hardware on cabinets, light fixtures, and even door knobs, can be enough to convince a buyer that your home is high value.
Get to know how to use self-drilling screws ahead of time! These will help you save time and money while still ensuring everything is securely attached and put together how you want it to be.
Make Small Repairs
Although a roof leak may feel like a major repair, it’s just one of the dozens of repairs many homeowners forget to get fixed before they list their properties for sale. Take the time to make small repairs before you have a home inspection completed. This way they won’t show up on a report of the buyer, and you’ll be able to save yourself some stress.
Aesthetic Appeal Can Add Endless Value
Whether you’re selling to upsize or to fund your retirement, you don’t want to leave a single dollar on the table. Follow these staging tips, and check out Luxe Home Staging and Design for more inspiration!
Author Bio:
Lisa Thompkins is a freelance writer living in Dallas, Texas. She works closely in the Home Improvement and Restoration fields and has a background in Real Estate. When not writing, Lisa enjoys spending her time traveling and seeing the world. Lisa’s work as a freelance writer can be found on Building Product Advisor, a construction industry resource site.