Preparing your home for sale? Well, part of that process is staging it so it can appeal to as many buyers as possible. It takes some design expertise, patience and of course attention to detail. But not everyone understands how staging works and how it’s done. Check out what the National Association of Realtors has to say about staging in 2021:
- 82% of buyers’ agents claim staging a house makes it easier for buyers to visualize that property as their home.
- Staging the living room was tops for buyers (46%), followed by the master bedroom (43%), and the kitchen (35%).
- Having photos, videos and virtual tours for listings is an important feature post-pandemic.
- 23% of buyer’s agents said that staging a home boosts the dollar value that has been offered between 1 and 5%, compared with similar, un-staged homes on the market.
Even in a hot seller’s market such as this one, some degree of staging needs to take place – although not quite as much as when it’s a buyer’s market. Staging is an art form, as a professional home stager brings design talent, knowledge of the latest trends, and resources to the table to ensure your home is presented to show off its greatest value, potential and appeal.
Buyers want to see in their mind’s eye what the home would look like if they lived there. Staging helps to fill in those gaps and showcase the beauty of your home as if it were lived in. Filling an otherwise empty space with trendy furniture and accents can really bring those things to light.
Here are some tips if you’re a seller looking to impress buyers.
1. Get Rid of Clutter
First stop? Purge-ville. Clutter confuses buyers and detracts from the real beauty of the home. Take some time to get rid of items that no longer serve you. This will prove helpful as you pack for your own move. The less you have to take with you, the less junk you have to pay for. And don’t leave too many furniture pieces crammed into one room. The stager may come in and haul half of it away (for now) anyway.
What you want to do is make sure your home looks as large and clear as possible while gently accenting it. Purge by going room by room. Trash, donate, put in storage: whatever you have to do to get rid of clutter, do it.
2. Experiment With Visually Interesting Furniture Groups
If you’re thinking of putting all your furniture against the walls to make your room look bigger, think again. Stagers will tell you that it’s far more effective to “float” furniture a bit away from your walls for the best effect. Reposition sofas, chairs and end tables into cozy conversational grouping, ensuring natural traffic flow throughout the home.
3. Brighten the Space
Looking to make your home more warm and inviting? You need the right kind of lighting, and enough of it. Boost the wattage in your fixtures and lamps. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want 100 watts for every 50 square feet of living space. Each room should incorporate ambient lighting (overhead and general), task lighting (under-cabinet, reading, and pendant) and accent lighting (wall and table sconces).
4. Switch Up Rooms
Some rooms of your home can easily be transformed into something that serves a new function. If you have a little-used guest room, convert it into a yoga studio. If you have a corner under the stairs with wasted space, put a bench and some lighting in there for an instant reading nook. If you have a partially finished basement, drape fabric on the walls, add rubber padding, and decorate with accent pillows and candles to make a serene meditation room.
Contact Berkshire Hathaway Premier Properties
Need help staging your home to impress buyers? Please contact Berkshire Hathaway Premier Properties today at 832-626-4889. We can connect you with designers who specialize in staging for the best possible results and the highest offers.