The Secret to Staging a House That Sells 

Just as people dress for success during a job interview, your home needs to look picture-perfect for selling. These days, homebuyers watch interior decorating shows that display beautifully staged houses, making it challenging to meet expectations. 

The key is understanding what the buyer wants so you can create the ideal layout. That’s where home staging comes in – the art of preparing a private residence for sale. 

We offer complimentary staging for vacant properties. Our goal is to highlight your home’s strengths by following these simple steps: 

Initial Consultation 

One of the first things we do is an initial walk-through of the entire space. During this time, we take notes on the ideal layout based on the target buyer (and the size of the rooms). The key is to maximize the space so that the buyers can visualize living in the home. They need to feel like there is enough room for every aspect of their life (kids, guests, home office, etc.).

During the initial consultation, we also make a list of recommended repairs to the house. Even a small blemish can stick out, including missing floorboards, large cracks, and chipped paint. We check outdoor areas too, as this is where people spend a lot of their time. Once we create a list of repairs, we provide the seller with recommended vendors. Depending on the vendor, we can also help coordinate the repairs.    

Stage Important Rooms First

This step is the strategic part of staging based on the potential buyer. For example, if the buyer is a young couple, we’ll choose to stage areas where they’re most likely to spend their time (living room, outside, etc.). We also pick out specific furniture and accessories that best fit their season of life.

Once we settle on the furniture for each room, we position the couches, chairs, and tables away from the walls. This technique is called “floating” the furniture, which makes the area look bigger. We might also add rugs, lamps, and other items to make the room feel cozy. 

The more serene and inviting the rooms are, the more relaxed someone will feel when they walk in. That’s why the small details are so important, such as nice linens, soft colors, polished accessories, etc. 

Create an Outdoor Haven  

The outside of the home may be one of the most important details. Many people envision spending a lot of time outdoors with their families. Depending on the size of the yard, we’ll create a relaxing setting, such as a bistro table for morning coffee, a lounge set for sitting by a pool, or an outdoor dining set. 

Additionally, we check the curb appeal of the home to ensure the exterior looks as appealing as possible! This includes coordinating/securing the following items:

• Adding fresh flowers

• Pulling weeds

• Mowing the lawn 

• Power washing the house  

• Fixing cracked or chipped areas

• Painting the front door 

• Including outdoor furniture 

When it comes to staging, the outside matters just as much as the inside. 

Staging Best Practices 

Finally, there are a few details that we keep in mind during the staging process. Here are some best practices that we apply: 

No clutter - We want the rooms to look inviting and spacious. Going overboard with furniture or accessories can make a space look messy, so we stage the pieces to look orderly and sophisticated. 

Brightness is critical - Lighting is a huge part of staging a house. Buyers love seeing bright rooms with natural light. We create warmth by opening the curtains and blinds, making the light fixtures look appealing, and even lighting a candle. 

Neutral paint - Wall paint is the background canvas for the house. To make sure the color appeals to a broader audience, we tell the homeowner to stick with sophisticated neutrals. It’s incredible how a few bright coats of paint can transform a space and make it more appealing. 

Accessories - Small details make a big difference when staging. We focus on things like fresh flowers in vases, a bowl of fruit on the counter, a plant on a nightstand, and folded towels in the bathroom. Finally, we place a few nice pieces of artwork throughout the home to bring life to the rooms.  

Shiny and scrubbed - A good polish can make a space feel brand new. We work with the owner to ensure that chrome faucets, mirrors, and windows are sparkly clean before a buyer sees the home. Sometimes we recommend getting the tile professionally painted, or the floor waxed to add extra shine. Finally, the owner should ensure that every room is deep-cleaned before we begin the staging process.

Home staging does wonders for selling your home and enhancing its appeal. According to a 2017 National Association of Realtors survey, “Forty-nine percent of buyers’ agents believe staging affects most buyers’ view of a home; and 77% of them say it’s easier for people to visualize a staged home as their own.”

We want to make your selling journey as smooth as possible. It all starts with creating a haven that the buyer will want to call their own! 

Are you curious to learn more about the staging process? Click here to watch a short before and after video of a home we recently staged. 

Sources 

https://www.hgtv.com/shows/designed-to-sell/15-secrets-of-home-staging-pictures

https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/home-staging

https://www.trulia.com/guides/staging-a-house/