Selling a house can be overwhelming at times. There are boxes to pack, meetings with a realtor to attend to and the uncertainty of when the right buyer will come around. Thankfully, there are tips and tricks along the way that can alleviate some of the stress. One of these tips is staging a house. Staging a house simply means decorating and arranging your home décor that helps to highlight your home’s impressive assets. A National Association of Realtors survey found that 49 percent of buyers’ agents believe staging affects most buyers’ view of a home, and 77 percent say it’s easier for people to visualize the staged property as their future home. Not sure where to start? At Ventana by Buckner, we’ve pulled together a list of tips that will help with staging a house for a move. [dsgsc]
10 Tips for Staging a House
- Boost your curb appeal. Typically, a potential buyer’s first reaction of your house is the outside, whether it be driving by the house or walking to the front door for a tour. In order to make a great first impression, ensure that your house is ready and looking good for curious onlookers. A few things you can do to boost curb appeal include mowing the lawn, planting flowers, installing easy-to-read house numbers and adding front door décor like a wreath.
- Clear your clutter. Most people are most interested in seeing a tidy living space. Remove clutter from your house and either store your extra belongings in onsite storage or renting a storage space. While organizing can take time and effort, it will be well worth it to clear up your space.
- Depersonalize. If you’re the sentimental type and have picture frames and personal knick-knacks throughout your home, it may be worth considering storing them while potential buyers tour. Buyers want to be able to imagine themselves living there and depersonalizing your living space helps to give them a more accurate feel of what their home may look like.
- Rearrange your rooms if necessary. A certain arrangement may work for you, but it may not be as attractive to potential buyers. Rearrange your furniture so that it is symmetrical and visually appealing. Also, it is commonly thought that effective staging means pushing furniture against the walls, but that may not always be the case. Try instead to float furniture away from walls and in a way that makes the flow of the room more obvious.
- Stage important rooms first. Staging can take time, money and energy. To limit burnout when staging your home, focus on the rooms that have the highest amount of traffic. Buyers typically put a high priority on the kitchen, living room and master bedroom.
- Aim for a light look. A brighter home is more appealing to the majority. A few ways you can brighten your living space include updating light fixtures, especially in rooms that may not get as much natural light, and opening windows when your house is being shown.
- Go for neutrals. While yellow may be your color, this may not be the opinion of others and seen as an additional update they would need to make to the house. A sophisticated, soft color pallet makes a home look ready for new buyers. This could require painting, especially in those high-priority rooms, but it will be well worth it.
- Add fresh flowers. It’s all about the little details when it comes to staging your home. Adding fresh flowers throughout your home not only gives a nice floral scent, but flowers are seen to be homier and more welcoming.
- Finish minor repairs. You know those little projects that you’ve been adding to your list of to-dos but never seem to have the time to get around to them? It may be time to check them off. While you may be able to ignore that loose doorknob or scratch on the wall, you don’t want a potential buyer to question their decision based on something insignificant.
- Clean. You want your house to shine for potential buyers, from the ceiling to the baseboards. Seeing a clean home suggests to buyers that you care about and take good care of the property, something that is seen as a significant positive.
Discover Moving Tips for Seniors with Ventana by Buckner
At Ventana by Buckner, we understand moving can be a tough process. That’s why we offer helpful services through our partnership with Moving Station to make the transition as smooth as possible. Moving Station is a leader in senior relocation services that helps seniors and their families with tasks like selling a home, downsizing, organizing and the physical move, itself. The team offers one-on-one-services to ensure your specific concerns about moving are addressed. To learn more about our partnership with Moving Station and the services they provide, read our recent blog. Start the conversation with the team at Ventana to learn how you can thrive in our community. Contact us today to schedule your personal appointment or click on this link to schedule your tour of our community.