When it comes to buying and selling a house, appearance is everything. A buyer will be screening through a long list of properties before deciding on visiting a listing in person. By learning innovative home staging ideas, you will be able to sell your property three times faster along with an increased sale value. But how can home staging produce such a huge impact?
Well, here is the thing. Your potential buyers are not just looking for a new place to live but they also wish to improve their lifestyle. And through clever home staging, you will be offering more possibilities and new perspectives to your buyers. So, let’s look at different ideas you can use to stage your home perfectly.
Home Staging Ideas
1- Declutter and Depersonalize
There are two issues with clutters. Firstly, being an eyesore they take up all the attention of a buyer, distracting them from the important features of your house. Secondly, they end up taking up all the space. The emptier the space is, the more attractive it will be. So it’s time to declutter the whole place. Remove all the unnecessary stuff that you have been accumulating over the years.
An important note here is to free up all the surface space from kitchen tables and shelves. Don’t try to stuff everything into the closets as a home buyer always checks the closet space. A great option would be renting a storage unit or containers temporarily.
The goal of home staging is to make home buyers envision themselves in your house. Because buyers are here to look at the house, not to picture your life in that house. And for that to happen, you have to depersonalize the place. So, remove any personal belongings from the house; an old picture on the refrigerator, clothes in the closet, toys from the bedroom, and so on.
2- Thorough Cleaning
A home needs to look like a home – a welcoming place for comfort and relaxation. To make that happen, an ideal option, to begin with, is a deep cleaning of your home. Wash, mop, dust, and vacuum everything from floors and ceilings to washroom tiles and closet corners. Yes, even the spots that you think no one notices.
A clean and odor-free home will not only be loved by everyone but also reflect your competency as a realtor. So, get rid of chipped paint, old dusty carpet, carpet dents, etc. Because a homebuyer checks everything and an unclean property will look as if it needs a lot of DIYs and maintenance. Invite a friend to assess your handiwork at the end.
3- House Maintenance and Repairs
Now it’s time to start creating visual impact through home staging. Assess the whole house for repairs, and look for anything that doesn’t work well or is creating a bad impression. Make a list. Start with easy maintenance tasks like filling holes in walls, fixing a creaking door, mending a dripping faucet, and so on.
–> House Inspection Checklists
However, any cracks in the ceilings or walls would indicate potential foundation problems and are a huge red flag for buyers. So contact a house inspector to check if there are any risky foundational problems. If everything is deemed sound, just re-paint the cracks to not scare the buyers.
4- Renovation Ideas for Flooring, Kitchen, and Bathroom
Now let’s talk about some important renovations you must consider. When it comes to flooring, hardwood floors are an innovative and valuable option as compared to outdated linoleum. Although costly, hardwood floors offer better long-term value and are easy to maintain. If your property has already got hardwood floors, then ensure that they are not heavily worn. A quick laminate flooring won’t be a bad idea.
After flooring, let’s move on to bathroom and kitchen remodeling. An empty bathroom will reflect a cold and lifeless look. For a quick setup, add small accessories like high-end soap bottles and scented candles, replace the old faucets, add a shower curtain, and hang some clean towels with neutral colors.
There is no doubt about the fact that kitchen staging can maximize the selling price of a property. Cleaning and decluttering won’t be enough for kitchen staging. If the kitchen does not offer good surface and cabinet space, then you should consider remodeling it. An updated kitchen will positively impact the buyer and help you recoup your investment. Additionally, you can make a lot of difference by adding modern hardware, painting the kitchen cabinets, and installing a pot rack and hooks. In case you decide on re-painting the cabinets, replace the drawer pulls and handles as well.
5- Furniture Arrangements and Accessories
An important part of home staging is the right furnishing. Don’t pick matching furniture. Instead, use colors and textures that complement each other. If you have already got great furniture, mix the colors and fabrics a little to avoid a plain look. The furniture should be nice, tidy inviting, and organized according to the size of the room. Because your goal here is to make the place look more visually appealing and add visual space through furniture setting.
So, don’t end up cluttering the dining area or the bedrooms with extra furniture. Maintain a practical look and keep the rooms spacious enough that it’s easier to navigate through them. Visit a nearby thrift store if you don’t have the right furniture with a neutral look, or just borrow from a friend.
To make the place visually pleasing or aesthetic, you have to add some accessories. Get rid of the old furniture and stained rugs. Use throw pillows and blankets for a pop of color. Also, depending upon the property’s geographical location, use local features like seashells, sea grass, and coral rocks for a beach house. All of this will majorly impact the overall ambiance.
6- Defined Rooms
Living room, dining room, bedrooms – each room deserves a well-proportioned look. You can’t have a plain bland look throughout the home.
Staging a Living Room
Let’s begin with the living room – a spacious space for comfort and entertainment. First, get rid of oversized furniture to grab the buyer’s attention around the room. Arrange the furniture in a way that showcases how perfect the seating and space are for family time and parties. For décor, use artwork and house plants that took take up a lot of space and also provide a nurturing look. Lastly, if you have the space, set up a side table and an upholstered chair in the corner of this bedroom.
The second most important room is the master bedroom where around 70 percent of the home staging takes place. The focal point of this room is the bed’s position. Don’t place the bed in front of the window unless you have no other option. The best placement for the bed is the wall opposite the door.
Staging a Bedroom
It’s not necessary to add a specific theme to the bedroom. It will just be a distraction for the buyers. Instead, try to make the place cozy. For that, clear out the storage spaces first. Pull back the window treatments so that the room is filled with natural light and add soft bedding along with throw pillows. Additionally, for decoration purposes, you can use flowers and succulents.
Staging a Dining Room
Staging a dining room is also equally important. If your property does not have a dining space, create one by adding a well-balanced table and stools. For smaller spaces, a breakfast bar with small modern stools will be perfect too. However, if your house has great dining space, create a formal dining room. Pick the right size of tables and chairs that perfectly fit the scale of your dining space. After that, you can accessorize the room with buffet tables, artwork, and mirror(s).
7- N&N – A Natural and Neutral Look
A natural and neutral look goes a long way in making a house more authentic and inviting. Since the paint colors will leave a psychological impact on home buyers, pick your color palette carefully. For modern homes, maintain a neutral tone of the house with blue, beige, cream, or grey paint. In the summertime, you can always add some fresh colors to brighten up the place.
A natural look helps a buyer envision themselves living in that house and the best way to keep a natural tone is by using different types of house plants. Try using real plants as they have proven to be an effective trick in house staging. For the entryway, kitchen, and possibly bedroom, pick some inexpensive flower arrangements. Once you have successfully created a natural look, your house will automatically be odorless and filled with a fresh smell.
8- Brighten Up the House
Dark rooms never bothered me anyway. First-time buyers, they will surely bother your home buyers. You have already used light-reflecting colors to paint the room and added a pop of color for a fresh look. Now it’s time to brighten up the place. Open all the blinds and curtains to benefit from the natural light. Whenever a buyer visits, turn on all the lights including closet lights and bedroom lamps for showing. Because otherwise, you wouldn’t want them stumbling around the property looking for switches to turn on the light.
9- Improve the Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is the general attractiveness of a property designed to increase its outward appeal to potential buyers. Realtors always stress maximizing the curb appeal in a cost-efficient way. You can use the following tips to improve the curb appeal of your property:
- Wash, repair, and declutter the exterior and front yard of your property.
- Repair the driveway and sidewalk.
- Use popular lighting styles and paint colors.
- Get rid of any broken or old hardware, for example, replacing an old mailbox.
- In case you have a lawn, prune the hedges and clean the debris.
- Consider using seasonal decorations and potted flowers set at certain places.
10- Create a Good First Impression
Your home staging is almost done now. There are a few last-minute touches you can use to create an ever-lasting first impression. Almost 10 minutes before the arrival of your buyers, open up the doors and windows to let the fresh air in. Replace the old flowers or wilted plants with new ones. Light some candles with subtle fragrances. And lastly, make sure there aren’t any visible signs that your pets have been around because some people might be allergic.
Common Home Staging Errors to Avoid
Over-staging: Don’t stuff your property too much with furniture and decorations. This over-styling can be a turnoff for the buyers. Always maintain a formal and authentic look.
No Deep Cleaning: It doesn’t matter how beautifully you have staged your property, if the place isn’t thoroughly cleaned, you will not create that desired impact on your buyer.
Overdoing the Curb Appeal: It’s best to take advice from a realtor on curb appeal because the wrong placement or abundance of plants and seasonal decorations won’t be that appealing.
Going Overboard with Renovations: You don’t need to spend too much on major renovations like knocking down walls and rebuilding your kitchen. Just make the best out of what you got.
Being too Neutral: Yes an overall neutral look is good but make sure to not dull the whole place. A little pop of color will overall enhance your property’s appeal.
Home Staging FAQs
Q1- How much does home staging cost?
According to HomeAdvisor, home staging can typically cost between $652 and $2,529. Consider that your property has been listed for $3,20,000. So, the cost of home staging for a few months will be more or less around $2,500.
Q2- What is the difference between interior décor and home staging?
The main difference between the two is the intention behind them. The purpose of interior decorating is to transform the feel and aesthetics of a place. The purpose of home staging, on the other hand, is to highlight the best features of a property to get a quick sale.
Wrap Up
By using different innovative home staging ideas, you can drastically increase the selling price of your house. Most of the above-mentioned staging tips will not cost you anything. Just remember to keep a special focus on cleaning and making the most out of every free space.
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