TOP 10 BEST HOME STAGING TIPS

Whenever you decide its time for change and list your house for sale, you need to have the best home staging tips on hand to increase the probability of a quick sale. Making your home stand out, impressing everyone who walks through your doors with a “wow” factor greatly increases the likelihood of a quick sale. First impressions matter. That’s why we’ve compiled ten of the best home staging tips in this blog, the quicker you sell the quicker we can move you in!

So, what is home staging? Home staging is the art of decorating your home to accentuate its beauty and finer details. The process of staging is meant to allow potential buyers to envision themselves living inside this home better. If done correctly, a staged home has the potential to greatly increase the chances of selling your home much quicker than it would have otherwise.

But don’t just take our word for it. According to the National Association of Realtors’ 2019 Staging Stats report, 40% of buying agents stated that a staged home had an impact on the buyers decision to purchase a home. 83% of buying agents also stated how a staged home made it easier for prospective buyers to envision the house as their own. According to the report, a 1 – 5% increase in the dollar value of the house was seen by 22% of listing agents, and a 6 – 10% increase in the dollar value of the house was seen by 17% of listing agents. The statistics clearly show a positive relationship between a staged home and a quicker, more successful sale.

With all the research proving the benefits of staging your home, why shouldn’t you follow our top 10 best home staging tips? Especially considering many home staging companies do not charge exuberant amounts. According to the study above, the median cost for staging a home was $400 in 2019. So whether you are trying to make a quick sale, or are tired of waiting for your house to sell, here are our top 10 best home staging tips.

1. De-clutter

Space sells when looking for a new home. Having clutter takes up a lot of this space. You can create the illusion of a much larger home by simply cutting down the clutter and staging the essentials. A minimalist approach to staging your home will have huge benefits. However, you don’t need to toss all of the items that can’t be staged in the landfill. You can get a head start on packing and minimize the amount of work you have to do for your move later down the road! You can store these items somewhere in the basement of your home for the time being, or opt to purchase storage until you gain possession of your new home.

Remember, people will be looking inside cabinets, drawers, closets and rooms when looking at your home. So, ensure all of these areas cleared out as much as possible to give the illusion of greater space. Donate, get rid of, pack up, or store all the excess furniture items, games, books, electronics, toys, seasonal items, décor and anything else not required in your daily life.

2. Repair and Patchwork

While staging your home, looking out for and fixing any signs of impurities or superficial damages is a great idea. Removing any and all signals of neglect to the home will make potential buyers feel more secure in how well maintained the house has been over the period of time you have lived there.  Removing any blemishes and superficial damages also makes the home much more attractive overall.

A simple way to fix scuffs and marks on walls is to use a melamine foam eraser pad. While doing this, mark areas that need some work – and then you can caulk and spackle as needed.  Touching up on old paint jobs is always a plus as well, using bright colours in areas such as the living room and kitchen to make the home feel brighter and larger.

3. Clean, clean, clean!

If you thought spring cleaning was extensive, the cleaning you do prior to listing your home for sale shouldn’t even compare. Every visible and non-visible surface of your house should be squeaky clean! From the windows and blinds, to the top of cabinets and baseboards, no surface should be left untouched. A clean home sends a clear message to buyers that you have taken great care of the property and makes a great overall impression on buyers as well.

So, if you had been putting off doing some chores, home staging is the perfect opportunity to play catch up.

4. Avoid Personalizing the Home

Remember that one of the most important goals that home staging seeks to accomplish is allowing the buyer to envision themselves living in the space. The best way to allow buyers to visualize this is by serving them a blank canvas. This doesn’t mean the home should be plain and boring, it should still have charm however, it should not have items that remind buyers the space is still yours.

For example, take down personal photos, put away religious items, take down your children’s paintings from the fridge, and keep clothing and other personal items out of sight and out of mind!

5. Stage Where it Matters

Not everything is made equal, and when it comes to home staging, not all rooms are made equal. Spend your time and effort focusing on the rooms most important to buyers and spend less time and effort on those that don’t have as much of an influence on their decision.

The kitchen (35% of buyers), living room (47% of buyers) and master bedroom (42% of buyers) are the most important rooms to stage, as per the NAR Report. These rooms should be focused on the most when staging and the rest, such as the washrooms, don’t require as much attention.

6. Keep it Neutral

This home staging tip is the costliest out of the rest however, it can make a major impact in the sale of your home. Neutral colors such as grays and whites don’t distract from the home’s features. Although bright paint colors add personality and can make rooms look bright, they can distract buyers from what the house has to offer besides just the paint on its walls. Additionally, bright colors are often subjectively chosen by individuals. Not everyone will like them, having neutral colors allows buyers the choice to paint the walls bright, or to leave them as is.

7. First Impressions Matter

The first impression is always very important for buyers. From the moment they drive up to your house and begin to walk up to the front door, they are looking at every exterior detail of your house, before entering. So, make sure if you have a front stoop or walkway leading up to your house, that you power wash it and remove any dirt. Consider some minor landscaping as well to add a little more charm. In the entry way itself, make sure all seasonal items have been cleared out and it is open and de-cluttered. A simple door mat and perhaps a potted plant or two can also go a long way in adding a nice touch to the entry. Keeping your home simple yet welcoming is the best first impression.

8. Keep it Well Lit

Dark rooms won’t do you any favours, no matter how much you stage your home. Make sure when a buyer comes to take a look at your house, all the blinds are open to allow as much sunlight in as possible. Having the windows uncovered also makes the rooms look and feel much larger. However, if your yard or neighbours house requires some TLC, keep the blinds down but open the slats so the light comes in, and you don’t show problem areas.

Similarly, when showing your home to buyers, make sure all the lights in your house are turned on. This includes the closet lights, cabinet lighting and lamps as well. This again will help keep your home well lit, bright and welcoming.

9. Keep the Home Fresh

This includes making sure the home looks and smells fresh. A very easy way to do this is by incorporating a few plants when home staging. Having a few – not too many, well placed plants makes the home feel much fresher and adds a nice touch to accent the rooms. For example, placing a vase of flowers on your kitchen table or island, having small plants in your living room, and placing some plants by the entry are great ways to add a nice refreshing touch. It doesn’t have to be real plants every time either, you can get the job done with fake plants as well, or even having a large bowl of fruit in the kitchen or a vase full of lemons for a pop of color.

As mentioned earlier, a large component of making your home fresh is making sure it also smells fresh. Ensuring your home is clear of all odours is a big and necessary step for home staging. Deep cleaning can get rid of lingering smells or entrapped odours in furniture and carpets. You may also want to consider adding scented plug-ins to rooms at a low setting, so it adds a subtle scent that isn’t overbearing.

10. Furniture Placement

Wide open spaces are very important when it comes to home staging. Buyers needs to be able to walk about freely and openly when viewing your home. Just like with de-cluttering, consider putting any excess furniture into storage so that you have the only the basics staged. You also should get rid of oversized furniture items, any damaged items, and items that don’t match or compliment the rest of your house. With the furniture items that are left in your home, focus on rearranging it so that it maximizes the space available in your home.

These are the top 10 best home staging tips available for you to use when you are attempting to sell your home. If all the above home staging tips are incorporated correctly, it should certainly help improve the sale of your home. Home staging doesn’t and shouldn’t require you to fork over large amounts of cash. All it takes is smart decision making to add more perceived value to your home. So once you’ve followed our 10 best home staging tips, all you have to do is sit back, relax and let the right buyer come to you.