Home Staging 101
What Is Staging?
Learn the basics of staging and how it can benefit you in the sale of your home.
What Is It?
Staging means preparing a home for sale to appeal to the largest number of buyers, increasing the chances of selling quickly and for a higher price. As a seller, you can stage your own home, have your Realtor® help you stage it, or hire a professional home stager. A new twist on home staging is “virtual” staging, which means that photos of a home are digitally enhanced to demonstrate the possibilities of the space.
What Are The Benefits?
Faster Sale, Higher Price.
When potential buyers can picture themselves living in the home, they will be more motivated to make a competitive offer. Depersonalizing the home of family photos and other such items helps buyers see the space as “theirs.”
Swipe Right.
Photographs of a staged home are more likely to attract interest online. Since most homebuyers these days start their home hunt online, it’s important to make a good impression through photos.
Picture It!
When potential buyers view a listing, they’re thinking beyond what their eyes are showing them. They’re visualizing themselves living in the space. Is the home an ideal place for growing children, or to enjoy retirement? A home stager will take an objective approach to decluttering and decorating, allowing prospective purchasers to view the space as theirs.
Staging Advice
Let us start you off with some basic staging advice and some common mistakes to avoid.
Staging Tips
Clean! Consider hiring a professional cleaning service.
Declutter! Make it look organized, even if it really isn’t.
Remove personal photographs from walls and tabletops.
Remove oversized and excess furniture and area rugs.
Keep closets tidy! Prospective buyers will want to evaluate the home’s storage capacity, and clutter creates the illusion of less space.
Let the sunlight in by opening blinds and curtains.
Replace burned-out, dim or flickering light bulbs.
Consider replacing dated light fixtures.
A fresh coat of paint will help renew the look and feel of any room. Choose 2 to 3 different neutrals to use throughout the whole house. 10. Don’t forget the exterior!
Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t spend a lot of money. Be resourceful.
Don’t paint everything white. Opt for soft neutrals.
Don’t cover up architectural details such as windows or the fireplace.
Don’t try to hide odors with overpowering air fresheners and candles.
Don’t make the house too sterile by removing everything. Your goal is “inviting and livable.”
Start with Decluttering
“Decluttering” is the first step in staging your home. Pack all non-essential items that you can live without until you move into your new home. This will help with the staging process and will kick-start the packing process. Donate or discard items that you don’t want, need or use.
Pack It! Store It!
Plastic storage bins are great for items that may need to be stored for an unknown period of time. Store these off-site if possible. Consider renting a portable storage unit. Many companies provide these large containers that can be stored in their climate-controlled warehouse until you are ready to have it delivered to your new home!
Start with:
personal framed photos, photo albums, trophies and awards,
extra bake ware and cooking items,
rarely used kitchen gadgets, cookbooks and small appliances,
collectibles, figurines, special occasion dishware,
extra or out-of-season décor items,
out-of-season clothing, coats, boots and shoes,
books, CDs, DVDs and games.
Let a RE/MAX Agent Guide You
Your RE/MAX agent can help ensure your home shows beautifully in person and in photos.
The advice presented here includes tips from RE/MAX agents and other professional sources to help sellers like you through the home staging process. It’s a challenge to objectively critique your own home. Your RE/MAX agent will bring a fresh perspective, an understanding of the local market and knowledge of what buyers there are looking for, to ensure your home shows beautifully in person and in photos.
Keep in mind that staging is not remodeling. Staging involves cleaning, rearranging and a bit of decorating to highlight a home’s best features, such as a fireplace, beautiful wood floors, gorgeous views or a cozy master suite. Your RE/MAX agent can also refer you to professional staging resources as needed.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOME STAGING
Still looking for more information on home staging? View our Home Staging Guide at the link below to learn more.