Home Staging for Greatest Appeal
You have decided to sell your home. But before you put it on the market, it is best to prepare your home – or “stage” it –to make it appeal to the greatest number of people who will view it both online and in person. Please note, research from the National Association of REALTORS® has found that 90 percent of potential homebuyers start their search on the Internet. When those buyers are “clicking through” listings online, your home may have only a few seconds to make the best first impression with photos of neat and attractive interiors and exteriors.
Home staging is the effort to organize and clean your home, as well as to decorate it specifically for potential buyers. Your real estate and other professionals can assist you with staging your home. But if you decide to manage the process on your own, here are some tips for getting your home ready.
1. Create a neutral space
Put yourself in the shoes of a potential homebuyer. Try to look at your home through the eyes of a complete stranger. Each person has unique tastes and your objective is to make your home appeal to them. So you want to create a neutral space for them to envision their lives taking place. The most important thing you can do is to organize, clean and remove clutter and personal items. Although you’ve grown accustomed to looking at your home, a new buyer is looking at it for the first time, and that first impression is priceless. Pay attention to the details to facilitate potential buyers’ ability to see the potential and beauty of your house,.
2. Examine the exterior
Even before potential buyers see the interior of your home, they drive up to your house (or see a front view on the web). Take the drive yourself and look for any areas in need of touching up. Pay attention to:
3. Inspect the interior
A potential buyer’s first steps inside your home will sometimes make or break the sale. Consider what their sensory experience will be.
4. Prep the kitchen
From the aroma of your cooking to the wear-and-tear on your stove, cabinet interiors to cutlery drawers, potential buyers are observing everything in your kitchen. Remember the details and make them appeal to a broad audience. If your cabinets are worn and you can’t replace them, change the doors or paint them. Replace hardware if needed. Even little touches make a big difference.
5. Enliven living areas
Inspect the open areas of your home. Removing clutter and creating open spaces will make it easier for potential buyers to envision themselves living there. You can repurpose spaces and furniture for new functionality. Ask yourself the following questions and remedy them before a potential homebuyer steps through the door.
5. Sort through storage spaces
Attics, garages and sheds tend to clutter quickly. Take the time to organize your belongings or consider renting storage space where you can keep items while your home is listed. This will help you prepare for your move, which may be sooner than you think if you pay attention to minor details.
6. Clean the bathrooms
A clean bathroom is especially important. Spic-and-span sinks, tubs, walls, counters, mirrors, toilets and floors will make a big impact on a buyer. Make every effort to mimic spa environments by purchasing fluffy new towels you can take to your new home. Keep the bathroom impeccable, inviting, and relaxing.
7. Prepare for your showings
Though it is your home, a showing is a professional visit. The real estate agent (yours or the buyer’s) will have an easier time showing your home if you are not present. Leave things as tidy as possible and keep the following in mind:
The HomeGain real estate community has found that investing time in these home-improvement activities can pay off big when selling your home. In fact, cleaning and de-cluttering your home for an average cost of $402 can benefit as much as $2,024 in the final sales price of your home – a return on investment of 403%.
So remember, literature and television shows are available with tips and tricks for staging your home. And if you are pressed for time, there are also professionals who will come to your home and stage it for you. Good luck!
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