Eight Inexpensive Home Staging Tips

February 23, 2017

If you’re planning to sell your home, you’ll want it to look its best to bring in top dollar. Most people these days get their first impression of a home from viewing pictures online. If they like the look and features of the home, then they add it to their list of favorites to visit with their Realtor. That’s where home staging comes in–it’s all about making your home look its best on camera and then wow them when they visit.

Fortunately, home staging can be done inexpensively and can make money for you when done correctly. We’ve put together some do-it-yourself home staging tips that can make your home look great and help attract as many buyers as possible.

Depersonalize: Remove family photos and other personal items that may be distracting to buyers. You want buyers to imagine themselves living in your home rather than being reminded that someone else lives there.

Paint: A fresh coat of paint on walls, trim and doors makes everything look bright and new. Use light neutral colors so you can appeal to a wide variety of tastes.

Clear the clutter: Pack your small items; leave out fewer but larger pieces. Remove extra furniture and off-season clothing to make rooms and closets look bigger. Store items at a friend’s house or in the corner of the garage, or you can rent a small storage room.

Clean and deodorize: Thoroughly clean so that everything is spotless including windows, sliding door tracks and ceiling fans, as well as your garage and basement. Bake cookies in the oven, use cinnamon sticks in a pot of simmering water on the stove or use air fresheners.

Up the curb appeal: Mow lawn, clear debris from walkways and use mulch to make outside areas look neat and trim. Pressure clean the home’s exterior, including the driveway and sidewalk.

Let the light in: Open blinds and shades to let in as much natural light as possible. Lighting in corners and mirrors on the wall opposite a window can make a room look bigger.

Spruce up your kitchen: Update the look of your kitchen by replacing drawer and cabinet hardware. No need to replace appliances unless they are broken or worn out.

Update your bedroom and bathroom: One place to spend money is on new bedding (that will also work in your new home), updated bedroom lamps, fresh throw pillows and new towels. Replace outdated bathroom mirrors with inexpensive framed mirrors.

Professional stagers agree that preparing a home to sell is like setting a stage. As decorators do with model homes, think about selling a lifestyle. Homes with a current, organized, inviting and comfortable feel can stand out from the crowd, which may help increase your chances for a quicker sale.