Staging your home can play a crucial role in selling your house. According to the National Association of Realtors, 83% of buyers’ agents said that home staging made it easier for potential buyers to visualize properties as their future home, and 40% reported that home staging influenced most buyers’ view of the home.
From a homeowner’s point of view, staging can seem a bit daunting. How much will it cost and what upgrades are needed? But home staging isn’t an expensive process and it doesn’t necessarily mean transforming an outdated home into a trendy one. Otherwise, why would you want to sell? Rather, staging your home is about showcasing your home in the best way possible, and often with minimal changes. Not sure where to start? Here are some easy home staging tips to get your home ready for the market.
How to Stage a Home
Boost Your Curb Appeal
Effective home staging means thinking about everything buyers will be looking at, and that starts from the outside. The exterior of your home is the first thing every guest sees and sets the tone for the tour of your home. Simple ways to increase curb appeal include repainting your front door, adding or upgrading your house numbers, and keeping your landscape clear and presentable.
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Repair Easy Fixes
If you’re thinking of selling your home, investing in huge repairs may not be very practical, but making little repairs can make all the difference. Think about replacing or upgrading broken light bulbs or filling in visible holes in the walls from previously hung artwork. Potential buyers will likely not notice these fixes when touring your house, but they would definitely notice them if they weren’t repaired at all.
Declutter and Clean
You don’t need to spend big to get your home in shape for the market; decluttering and rearranging what you already have can dramatically increase the appeal of your home. A thorough deep clean, whether you do it yourself or hire a service, is one of the easiest home staging tips that will really make your home sparkle.
Depersonalize and Go Neutral
One of the hardest things for homeowners to do when staging their home is to depersonalize it. But remember – staging a home isn’t about making your home represent you. It’s about showing off your house in its best light. If you’re trying to sell your home quickly, it’s best to let your home be a blank canvas for the next owners.
Paint is one of the least expensive ways to refresh your interiors and make it look new. If you’ve decided to paint, consider using neutral colors for the walls. White is a timeless classic, but greige and gray are trending, which may appeal to more visitors.
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Consider Small Updates
You don’t need to update your whole house to make it attractive to potential buyers. However, you may want to consider small updates to spruce up your home’s appeal. For example, you may have top-of-the-line kitchen appliances that will remain timeless for years to come, but your cabinets are dated back thirty years. Or maybe you’ve recently painted your home to refresh its look, but your windows are still donning old swag and jabot. Updating accessories or applying a fresh coat of paint are just two simple and inexpensive ways to modernize your home.
Photo: Jay Greene Photography
Give Every Room a Purpose
The National Realtors Association found that the living room was the most important room where staging made a difference for buyers, followed by the master bedroom and the kitchen. If you feel limited by the amounts of updates you can make or have room in your budget to enhance your home staging, it should be for these three rooms. Otherwise, every room should have a purpose. A good rule of thumb is to present every room in the way it was intended; if buyers are looking at a three-bedroom houses, then make sure there are three bedrooms to show.
Photo: Jay Greene Photography
Finishing Touches
Once all the small repairs are made and your home is clean and organized, it’s time for the finishing touches. Display some floral centerpieces, stack a couple of books on the coffee table, lay some throw pillows on the couch, or light some scented candles. These are just some of the ways to add some personality to your home without imposing a specific aesthetic.
At the end of the day, the purpose of staging your home is to make your house looked lived in without being too personal. It’s to show the possibilities of your home that will appeal to the widest audience. Finding the right balance between a stylish home and a depersonalized one isn’t always easy. Luckily, WPL Interior Design is here to help. We continually stay up-to-date on current trends and will guide you on the best way to present your home to others. Get in touch with us today by calling (215) 592-9570 or filling out our project inquiry form.
Photo: Jay Greene Photography
