Are you in the process of listing your home for sale? Consider staging it.
Staging your house means to clear out your personal belongings and purposely present each room in a way that is enticing to homebuyers. It is a method of decorating that shows off your home’s best assets in order to get buyers to be interested in buying.
83% of buyers’ agents said that staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. So with so much to gain, it only makes sense for you to put time and effort into staging your home, and to your benefit, there are many great things you can do that won’t break the bank.
If you think that staging is the right move for you, here is how you can do it on a budget:
1. Get Rid of Clutter
Clutter takes up space, and space is what sells. While having special keepsakes displayed around your home is special to you, unfortunately it doesn’t fully allow the buyer to visualize themselves in the home. This doesn’t mean that you have to get rid of your personal things, you can simply pack them up and get them ready for your new home.
2. Focus On The Important Rooms
If you can’t stage the entire home, spend your time on the rooms that matter the most to the potential homebuyer. Based on the 2019 National Association of Realtors survey of agents, these are the five most important rooms to the buyer.
- Living Room
- Master Bedroom
- Kitchen
- Dining Room
- Yard/Outside Space
3. Deep Clean
There is no such thing as too clean. At this point, you want to make sure that the home is the cleanest it has ever been. Many people recommend hiring a cleaning service to come in and deep clean the entire home, and while yes, that will cost money, it will be well worth the investment if it is what helps sell your home.
4. Let There Be Light
Let’s be honest, dark rooms are sad. When showing your home, make sure you open the blinds on all windows so that more light comes in, therefore making your home looker bigger. You should also turn on all of the lights during your showing, including lamps and closet lights. By doing this, you home is more welcoming, and it also saves the buyer from having to figure out which switch turns on which light.
5. Boost Curb Appeal
First impressions mean the world to homebuyers who are considering multiple homes. A wonderful way to make sure your home stands out is to:
- Trim grass
- Pull Weeds
- Clip shrubs
- Trim trees
- Apply a fresh layer of mulch on your garden bed
- Clean your porch/deck (you may even need to stain or paint them)
- Clean your outdoor furniture
Another fun thing you can do is paint your front door a color that compliments your home’s exterior. You can also buy a few plants to put by the front door that will be sure to grab the buyer’s attention from the moment he/she gets out of the car.