Home staging yields a significant return on investment for sellers. According to the National Association of Realtors, you’ll get about four times your money back if you invest $100 in making your home presentable before listing it.
Even though there is no money down on this staging package, you can still get a higher price for your home—the average staged house sells for 20% more than an unstaged one. You’ll also save time on the market and increase your odds of receiving multiple offers from buyers who aren’t interested in buying a property without good staging.
If you’re selling, it’s time to stage your home. Unlike interior design or decorating, successful staging isn’t just about style—it’s also a marketing tactic. If you want buyers to see themselves in your home, here are our tips for staging it without spending money.
Working with What You Have
It’s easy to spend thousands of dollars on home staging when selling your property – but before you shell out big dollars, see what you can do with what you already have near the house.
It helps to take a room-by-room approach and give yourself ample time. Split the job into manageable chunks, rewarding yourself for each milestone. Remember that doing this speeds things along and will help you in the future!
Declutter and “De-Stuff”
The most common staging advice is to declutter, but I recommend moving about a third or more of your things into storage. Off-season clothing, shoes, supplies—anything you don’t use regularly should move!
Getting rid of the extra things you don’t need makes it easier to keep your storage areas tidy and organized.
Clean Thoroughly
It may seem like a no-brainer, but cleaning your home is important. You’d be surprised what you can find lurking inside cabinets or under stairs!
Assess Your Home’s Assets
By working methodically through your home while cleaning, you can assess and identify the best features of each room. It will help determine what rooms to showcase when guests visit and which spaces are better kept private.
Remove Everything Personal
Religious items, wedding photos and other personal memorabilia should all be removed from the house to make it easier for buyers to envision living there.
Make Repairs
Make some easy fixes for your home. When potential buyers see broken faucets, handles or hardware hanging loosely from cabinets and doors, loose handrails, or peeling paint on staircases—they wonder what else in your house hasn’t been cared for.
Brighten Up The Space
Look at the curtains, blinds, or shutters in your home. Do they block sunlight and make it hard to see inside? Would you enjoy the view more if there were no window treatments here? Removing or re-hanging window coverings can dramatically alter the look of your condo—especially if you have floor-to-ceiling windows.
Clean Windows
You’ll see a transformation in your home when you clean the windows and remove window screens for cleaning.
Up Your Wattage
Switching to higher-wattage light bulbs can make a room feel brighter and more spacious. Always ensure not to exceed the recommended wattage—a label inside sockets or fixtures usually indicates this.
Layer Lighting
There are four types of lighting: floor-level, mid-level (also known as ambient or indirect), eye-level (called task lighting), and overhead.
Floor-level lights are those that rest on the floor. Mid-level lighting, also known as task lighting, illuminates areas where you work—such as tables for crafting or desks for studying. Eye-level light comes from windows and wall sconces; overhead lighting is anything in a room above your head height (like chandeliers).
Use a variety of lighting to add visual interest and cheerfulness to your home. It’s great décor, making rooms feel bigger and brighter—and it makes people think you have more stuff than they do!
Paint
Sometimes, all you need to do is thoroughly clean your walls with a few Magic Erasers. But if you have a bold colour or two in your home, I’d suggest neutralizing them. It breaks our “no-purchase” rule for the month, but it makes such a difference that we’re willing to bend this once!
Make A Scene
Find The Focal Point
Focal points in a room should be visible but not necessarily central to the space. A custom rug might draw attention away from an otherwise underwhelming fireplace, for example—so long as that’s what you want!
Arrange your furniture and other objects, so the eye travels easily from one point to another, coming to rest on the desired focal point.
Use Your Chairs
Accent and occasional chairs can create visual interest around your focal point. Use them to decorate empty corners that need a little something, arrange them around a fireplace for an attractive centrepiece, or draw attention to the middle of your seating area by placing one in front of each sofa. Bonus points if you use extra-fluffy pillows and throws!
Room Flow
Make sure to note the entrances to each room and how traffic flows around your furniture. Is it easy for buyers to move through the space? Does a visitor’s eye naturally follow a path in your house? Making it easy for people to walk around is incredibly important—a well-designed home shows that you’ve paid attention to their wants and needs.
Consider A Professional
Although interior decorating and home staging skills are similar, only a professional or experienced real estate agent can do it well. Professional or experienced real estate agent can do it well.
Need more ideas for selling your house faster and for the best price possible? Contact Us Today!