I’m no expert at home staging, but I have done my fair share of visiting different properties and staging our own for sale, so I feel like I’ve picked up a thing or two from those experiences along the way. Consider my tips below as a consolidation of things I’ve learned from what-not-to-dos and a couple successful home sales under my belt.
- Keep it clean: This is an obvious, but probably the most important, step in showing your house. A clean house feels bigger, brighter, and overall more welcoming. It’s also a cheap and easy way to make sure that buyers are seeing your home, not your dust bunnies or water rings.
- Style, define, or adapt awkward areas: We’ve all been in that one house with the weird area that screams of wasted space. Whether it’s an unusual corner or a narrow bedroom, it’s important to show how to use the space to add function, design, or storage to the home. Maybe turn it into a surprising gallery wall with art shelves, add a piece of unique corner-friendly furniture, or arrange furniture in a way that helps make the space feel intentional. Serious buyers are always considering how the current floor plan is arranged when they’re thinking about how their own furniture and decor could fit in a space. Turn those awkward spaces into sellable features.
- Declutter: I always enjoy seeing homes that are decorated, but not over done. That way they leave some space for the potential buyer to visualize their own belongings. Clutter, like mess, can be a distraction from seeing the potential and charm of a home. When in doubt, less is more. Clear kitchen counters as much as you can. Also, remove any piles or random stuffs that you haven’t found a place for yourself. It will keep buyers from thinking there are storage or organization limitations.
- Don’t neglect closets and cabinets: Just like tip number 3, buyers are likely going to open closet doors, cabinets, and drawers to survey the storage space. Opening a closet or drawer jam packed with stuff or overflowing with clothes indicates that the house is not accommodating. Remove seasonal clothes or overflow that you can neatly store in a tote that can be tucked away (or even thrown into your trunk right before the showing!). Organize cupboards and drawers so that your potential buyers aren’t buried in orphaned Tupperware lids. Keeping the home feeling more open and spacious shouldn’t just be limited to the living spaces.
- Remove polarizing items: We all have our own beliefs when it comes to faith, politics, and maybe even sports teams. Home buying is a deeply personal and emotional experience. Don’t risk turning off potential buyers with political yard signs or other polarizing items.
- De-personalize: I once went to a house showing and the owners Squatty Potty was front and center in the master bathroom. While I myself am a believer in a more efficient BM, it’s not exactly the image you want when envisioning living in a space. Dirty bars of soap, toothbrushes, open baskets of dirty laundry – they just don’t set the right tone. Beyond that, also consider packing up photos. They tend to draw interest and add visual clutter. Not to mention, I prefer more anonymity when welcoming strangers into my home.
- Consider all the senses: Another anecdote for you – I recently went to a home that checked almost all of the boxes on our home list. I had high hopes, but upon entering the home I was hit with a horrible smell that ruined the home for me. The strength of the stench grew with each step into the home and I ended up leaving the house smelling like rotten ramen. Be sure to clean upholstery if you have pets, even if you don’t smell them. Run the self-clean on the oven, open windows, clean kitchen vents – do what you can to eliminate any sources of strong smells. We are all nose-blind, so plan accordingly.
- Be welcoming: An empty and clean shoe tray at the entrance, a fresh bottle of hand sanitizer (thanks, COVID!), a vase of fresh flowers – these all say “Welcome to our Home.” If you know anything about your potential buyers you can even use that to your advantage. I recently had a nearby college professional come to our home so I put my son’s stuffed mascot on the bed with some of his other snugglies. I later heard from their realtor that they found the touch thoughtful.
- Consider your curb appeal: First impressions are probably more important in real estate than in relationships. Again, you want to establish an emotional connection to your home. Pull weeds, cut out any dead flowers or growth, keep windows and screens clean, wipe down the front door, and sweep the porch. Throw a nice pot with a plant or colorful flowers by the front door. The showing starts from the curb.
- Show-off: Have a feature wall that sets you apart? A view from the master? Maybe your kitchen is a showpiece. Highlight those features with enhanced lighting, floor arrangements, or even coordinate showing times to accommodate great afternoon lighting. It’s time to showcase the best parts of your home!
Buying and selling a home is an incredibly personal and emotional thing. I hope you find some of these tips help to ease the process!
Leave a Reply