Among all the factors that determine whether or not your home actually sells, one critical element tends to fly under the radar – how well your home showcases to prospective buyers.
Unfortunately, many homeowners fail to recognize just how significantly a property’s presentation influences buyer interest and willingness to make offers. But experienced real estate agents understand the importance of transforming homes into showpieces to generate more visits, bids, higher prices and faster sales.
There is a reason that model homes feel spacious, comfortable and focus buyers on the most appealing lifestyle amenities. That advantage is achieved deliberately through home staging – the strategic decorating, furnishing, decluttering, and rearranging done to make any living space feel like a dream to potential purchasers.
Deploying proven staging methods can be the difference between a home sitting on the market versus selling quickly for top dollar. This guide will explore pro staging techniques anyone selling a home can benefit from.
Benefits of Staging Your Home
Implementing strategic staging dramatically enhances nearly every aspect of selling your residence. From fostering an emotional bond with potential buyers to expediting the sales process at top market value, staging delivers tangible returns.
Enhancing Your Property’s Appeal
The age-old saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” rings very true when opening your home to scrutiny from prospective purchasers. A property’s curb appeal and interior presentation shape that immediate gut reaction and lasting memory as buyers assess if this aligns with their wants. Simple upgrades like refreshed landscaping and paint go far, while thorough staging transforms a house into a welcoming dream home.
The furnishings, color schemes, styling of spaces for defined purposes, decor enhancements and depersonalization involved with expert staging all make it effortlessly easy for buyers to envision building a life within those walls. This emotional engagement triggers desire and demand.
Increasing the Home’s Market Value
Properties listed without being staged often suffer from buyers inability to see past aging finishes or poor spatial utility to recognize potential. Staging showcases your home’s inherent strengths while concealing flaws that limit value in a buyer’s mind. The National Association of Realtors 2021 Profile of Home Staging found a staged home sells on average for 5-10% more than a non-staged home.
Even modest $500 expenditures on staging return nearly six times that investment. Staged homes also rent for 9% higher prices. Showcasing your home’s possibilities drives increased market value.
Faster Sale Process
Not only does staging raise list prices, but it greatly accelerates deal velocity and closes sales far quicker by drawing more qualified traffic. Per the NAR study, staged listings spent half as many days on market compared to non-staged homes. For empty nesters, busy families or relocating employees facing time crunches – staging’s impact on velocity makes a world of difference.
Emotional Connection
The ambiance created through staging enables potential residents to easily picture daily life unfolding joyfully within the home. When furniture and rooms foster that emotional connection, buyers subconsciously attach sentimental value to the place. This drives more offers, higher prices, waived contingencies and smooth closings. Spend modestly on staging and your return will be buyers willing to spend more to capture feelings making this home hard to part with.
Step-By-Step Guide to Staging Your Home
Executing a successful home sale relies heavily on showcasing the property’s strengths through strategic staging for prospective buyers. Follow these expanded step-by-step best practices when prepping your house to maximize appeal and salability.
Step 1: Decluttering and Cleaning
Clutter distracts buyers from a home’s best attributes while dust and grime undermine first impressions of a “move-in ready” residence. Start by doing a whole house decluttering and thorough deep cleaning:
Decluttering Checklist
- Remove all non-essential furnishings and items from every room
- Clear counters, sinks, surfaces completely
- Give away, donate, sell or store excess furniture and decor offsite
- Rent storage unit if needed to remove volume of extras
- Limit personal photos and family memorabilia on display
- Organize papers, toys, gadgets, appliances out of sight
Cleaning Checklist
- Wash all windows, screens, window treatments
- Dust ceiling fans, vents, baseboards, corners thoroughly
- Clean AC/heating ducts and changes filters
- Vacuum/mop all floors, stairs and carpets steam cleaned
- Scrub grout lines, tile, showers, tubs
- Disinfect all sinks, counters, appliances inside and out
- Remove stains, soap scum, mildew and refresh caulking/grout
- Wash interior doors, walls, trim
- Clean fireplace interior and chimney flues
- Freshen garage flooring and tidy storage areas
Cleanliness and cleared out spaces put buyers at ease so they can imagine living their lifestyle within your home.
Step 2: Minor Repairs and Upgrades
Little flaws like cracked floor tiles, sticking doors, faulty lighting or leaky sinks undermine “move-in ready” impressions. Address them all:
Repairs Checklist
- Fix cracks, holes, leaks in ceiling, walls
- Repair/paint peeling exterior trim
- Replace broken window seals, foggy glass
- Fix sticking doors, cracked tiles
- Update loose cabinet hinges/knobs
- Ensure all plumbing/electrical is functioning
- Test smoke/CO2 detectors
Upgrades Checklist
- Fresh neutral interior/exterior paint
- Replace worn flooring, stairs
- Update faded kitchen/bath cabinet hardware
- Install new light fixtures with soft bulbs
- Replace old stainless kitchen appliances
- Swap dated bathroom mirrors/vanities
- Enhance entry doors and hardware
Bathrooms and kitchens provide incredible return just by elevating fixtures, sinks, hardware that may date your home. Don’t overimprove, but strategically elevate anywhere needing TLC.
Step 3: Redecorating and Rearranging
With clean blank slates, get creative in how you arrange and incorporate key decorative elements that create ambiance and define intended purpose for each area. For example, orient the living room around conversation by facing sofas while the adjacent dining room focuses entertaining guests around the nicely set table.
Redecorating Ideas
- Style beds with luxe bedding and decorative pillows
- Create productive workspace vibe in home office
- Set up kids rooms for studying and play
- Incorporate greenery, flowers, books, candles for warmth
- Source items locally through apps to avoid costly purchases
- Borrow accents like artwork, throws from friends
Rearranging Tips
- Spotlight architectural details with space around
- Create converging conversation areas in living rooms
- Anchor media around properly mounted TVs
- Zone kitchen work triangles efficiently
- Allow open traffic flow through home
Step 4: Enhancing Curb Appeal
First impressions matter tremendously, so ensure yours makes a strong statement from the street. Enhance your curb appeal by:
Curb Appeal Checklist
- Manicure lawn/landscaping/trees neatly edged
- Weed and mulch all garden beds
- Sweep walkways/driveways clear of debris
- Paint front door a striking, contrasting color
- Incorporate potted plants/pots along entryway
- Add lighting/hardware to highlight front door
- Style porch with welcome mats/decor items
- Hang eye-catching home sale sign prominently
Step 5: Adding Final Touches
Concentrate on those finishing touches that subliminally indicate a welcoming, move-in ready home:
Finishing Touches Checklist
- Eliminate floor level TV stands, properly mount
- Infuse pleasant aromas via candles, diffusers
- Provide fresh baked goods/fruit for showings
- Stage coffee tables with books, greenery
- Keep closets/cabinets filled indicating ample space
- Ensure house digits are clearly visible
- Leave flyers with home specs and area guides
With thorough strategic staging best practices in place, your house transforms into a showcase that immediately captivates buyer interest and steadily builds desire every subsequent showing. This drives more offers, frequent showings, higher sale prices and faster turn-around times. Staging for success takes work but pays dividends.
Frequently Asked Questions on Staging
Can I stage my home myself, or should I hire a professional?
Hiring a qualified staging pro guarantees maximizing impact, but if budget-constrained, focus efforts on decluttering/cleaning before adding any decorative elements. Consult your real estate agent for where to concentrate efforts.
How long does the staging process typically take?
Professionals can execute the physical staging component quite quickly in 5-15 days. But factor another week upfront for intensive decluttering/cleaning and a couple days afterwards to finesse final touches.
Are there specific rooms that are more important to stage?
Kitchens and bathrooms offer the highest ROI for upgrades and redesign. Also focus on staging living areas and primary bedrooms buyers spend the most time visualizing themselves occupying.
How does staging differ for vacant versus occupied homes?
Staging an empty home requires complete furnishing and décor from scratch whereas occupied homes focus mainly on editing, decluttering, rearranging and enhancing what’s already there. Lighting also makes a bigger impact in vacant spaces.
Listing Your Home Through a Realoq Realtor
As you prepare to sell your property, partnering with an expert Realtor well-versed in staging homes for maximum profit ensures your success.
The network of real estate professionals within Realoq ranks among the most experienced listing agents in the region. Our Realtors stage homes weekly, leveraging insider techniques tailored to individual spaces that spotlight strengths and accelerate sales velocity.
Let our team put their mastery of staging into action for your home. We offer complimentary value assessments, reasonable staging services through our network, free moving/storage concierge assistance and guaranteed listing promotions reaching qualified buyers. Our end-to-end process maximizes your home’s appeal while minimizing hassle.
Don’t leave money on the table or wait longer than necessary to hand over the keys. The advantage home staging delivers in enhanced offers, faster turnover and higher prices is undisputed.
Call on Realoq today to stage your home for success! Our experts stand ready to provide a personalized plan identifying target upgrades and improvements so you profit handsomely. Let’s connect to get your home sold.
