Home staging refers to cleaning and maintaining the property for potential buyers. It’s a simple technique that impresses the clients and helps you seal the deal fast. But it needs to be done before putting your house up for sale.
So, don’t rush to hire a real estate agent or furiously google something like “sell my house in Kansas City” yet. Instead, fix and prepare your house first.
Don’t know how to do that? Well, worry not because here are 5 home staging tips from real estate experts. These cheap and effective tips have helped sell hundreds of properties quickly and for better value. Let’s get started!
Remove the Clutter
Old newspapers, empty cardboard boxes, and used plastic bottles are some of the things that make your house appear messy. You might find them useful for recycling, but you can’t explain this to the buyer.
Your goal is to make the house presentable, and the first step towards this is to remove everything unnecessary. This includes jam bottles on the kitchen counter, toiletries stacked in the bathroom closet, and even piles of clothes in the cupboard.
Remove all of your stuff and store it either in a relative’s house or in a storage unit. Only keep the items that are essential and don’t crowd the space.
Clean Everything
Put on your rubber gloves and clean everything from top to bottom – quite literally! Prospective buyers are very critical of this aspect and will immediately reject a dirty house. So, spend a considerable number of hours cleaning your house thoroughly.
Scrub the doors, wipe the countertops, wash the tiled floors, dust the cobwebs, vacuum the upholstery, and trim the grass. If all of this work is consuming a lot of time and energy, contact professional house cleaners.
These people will charge a reasonable amount and clean the house in a day or two.
Repair Visible Issues
Ideally, you should repair all the problems in the house. Be it broken doorknobs, dirty walls, or termite infestation, you must fix everything before the house is sold. Of course, some fixes can cost a lot, but a house without major issues will have a better price, so you will not lose your money but earn more.
For home staging, focus on repairs that can make your house visually appealing. A great example is paint.
Stained, chipped walls give a bad first impression. So, buy a few gallons of paint and apply fresh coats to your walls and window frames. You can also paint complete rooms, but we don’t suggest that unless you have a good budget.
Ensure Proper Lighting
Lighting has a huge impact on the feel and atmosphere of the room. If your house receives a lot of sunlight, schedule the home visit for when your house is lit with the sun’s rays. This will make the house appear bright, warm, and a happy place.
However, if that’s not possible, check the current lighting system and ensure each light is fixed properly. It shouldn’t create dark corners or spots. The light should fall softly and evenly on everything.
Depersonalize the House
Lastly, remove everything that makes the place look like your house. This includes family photographs, fridge magnets, fake flower decor, etc. Remember, the buyer wants to visualize himself in the house, not you. So, help them visualize their new home, and you will thank us later.