When it comes to putting your home on the market, nine times out of ten you’ll want to sell as quickly as possible for the absolute best price. You put time, effort, money and memories into this space and you don’t want to see that go to waste over a low offer. Because of this, we would highly recommend that you consider staging your home before inviting potential buyers to an open house.
Home staging consists of preparing your home for sale and making the space more appealing to potential buyers. While there are plenty of professionals who specialize in this type of service, there are many things that you can do on your own:
Start with your curb appeal. Most potential buyers will drive by your home to check out the neighborhood and the exterior condition of the house before deciding if they want to take a peek inside. Make sure your home and yard are both in pristine condition. This includes power-washing the windows, siding and driveway, making sure that the house numbers are easy to read, minding the landscaping and touching up the paint if need be.
Clean, Clean, Clean. We cannot stress this enough – scrub the interior of your home from top to bottom. It may not be the easiest job, but it is certainly the least expensive way to put your best foot forward before the open house. You may even want to consider bringing in professional help when it comes to carpet and tile cleaning. Trust me, it will be worth it.
Clear the Clutter. Have you ever seen those signs hanging in someone’s home that read, “Don’t mind the mess, we live here”? While those are adorable in most situations, try to steer clear of this mentality when selling your home. The last thing a potential buyer wants to see is your daughters toys scattered across the floor and dirty soccer cleats at the doorway. They want to be able to envision their own life in this home; not have constant reminders of yours. Consider temporarily storing the extra stuff in a storage unit for a while.
Consider Your Extra Rooms. If you’ve been using that extra room as a place for old junk but it has greater potential , then people visiting your home should be able to see that. Consider buying or renting inexpensive furniture or renting from a relative to set that room up as an office space or children’s room so your buyers can be inspired. A few minor changes or updates can make a big difference.
Style with Neutral Colors. If you are staging your home with new furniture or thinking of repainting, choose colors from a neutral pallet. While you might have brighter and bolder preferences, keep in mind that you aren’t trying to appeal to yourself. Those orange walls may be fun and quirky to you, but they may be a huge turn-off to someone else who can’t manage to see past them.
It may be a bit of an extra step but if you are serious about selling your home as quickly as possible and getting the best offer on top of that, then staging your home will make all the difference in the world. Trust me, it will all be worth it in the end.