It is important for sellers to do everything they can to maximize the sale price of their homes. One of the simplest ways to do this is by home staging. Essentially this is where you show your house to best advantage.
Baking bread may be going too far but adding a few flowers and clearing away clutter is a good way of helping would-be buyers to see the potential of your house.
Temporarily decluttering and placing these items at Elephant Self Storage could increase your chance of selling your home in a tightening market.
How much staging you need to do depends on your house but here are some things you should consider:
- Declutter and then declutter some more. You may love all your knickknacks but will potential buyers? Neutral, tidy rooms make it easier for buyers to see how their belongings will work in your home.
- Clutter makes your home seem smaller. Ideally, most buyers are looking for a home that offers space and light. If personal items are crowding the house it can look as if there isn’t enough storage space. This can easily put buyers off a house.
- Do what you can to make rooms look bigger. Neutral and light colours using mirrors and removing excess furniture go a long way to help.
- Children’s toys should be packed away while you have viewings.
- ‘Kerb appeal’ is the first impression your home makes. Increase yours by tidying up the garden. Remove old garden furniture and tidy away children’s toys. Cut the grass and trim the hedges and bushes. You can add extra colour by buying potted plants or hanging baskets. Remember – you can take these when you leave.
- If you are finding it difficult to sell your home you may need to consider some cosmetic redecoration. Loud or dark colours on walls and old worn carpets put off many purchasers. It may seem like a lot of trouble but if you maximise your sales price it will be well worth it.
- Unless you are selling your house as a renovation project, finish all repair jobs that need to be done.
- Empty rooms often seem smaller than they really are. It’s worth dressing them to help buyers visualise the room’s potential.
- Selling an empty house is more difficult than a dressed one.
- If you have already moved out you could beg and borrow furniture and accessories from friends and relatives but chances are none of these will match or create an overall décor theme in your home. A professional home staging service can help. This may seem like an unnecessary expense but the longer your home is on the market the longer you are paying the mortgage for it.
- Professional home stagers use plants, mirrors, trendy furniture and home accessories to make your home look inviting. Declutter what you can but leave a few statements pieces to give your home the ‘wow’ factor.
- One of the easiest ways to declutter your home before viewings is to put excess personal items into self-storage. An added bonus of this is that a great number of your items are packed and ready to move as soon as you have sold your house.
