In a strictly rational world, buying a home would be largely an economic decision. Home buyers would weigh the properties carefully, comparing factors like appreciation potential, relative value and quality of life. But in the real world, the home buying experience is quite different.
Staging a House for Sale? Here are Top 10 Home Staging Tips by Designer and Photographer Maxwell L. Alexander
In the real world, home buyers shop with their eyes, and with their hearts, and that makes home staging an essential part of the sales process. And since so many home searches now start online, staging a house for sale is as much about websites as open houses. If you want to stage your home for a quick sale, you need to look at the property through the eyes of the emotional buyer. Here are 10 steps to get you started.
1. Review similar listings online, looking for properties that sold quickly and for top dollar. Look at what those home staging photos have in common, and use that knowledge to stage your own house for sale.
2. Invest in professional photography equipment, or a professional real estate photographer. Staging a house online requires plenty of great photographs, and the finished product needs to be professional. If you are comfortable behind the camera, you can do the job yourself. Otherwise, it is best to hire a pro.
3. Make a list of the strengths and weaknesses of your home. Think about what you want to accentuate, and what you want to minimize, as you start staging your home for online exposure and real-world open houses.
4. Target the right buyers. Home staging should be targeted to the buyer, so think about the types of people who would be most likely to buy your home. This will allow you to fine-tune the staging process.
5. Enhance your curb appeal. How your property looks from the outside is an integral part of home staging. From painting the front door and adding exterior lights to trimming shrubs and removing weeds, simple changes can vastly increase your curb appeal.
6. Make simple repairs. If you have been putting off your to-do list, now is the time to get going. Those tiny details will loom large to potential buyers, so take care of them now, before the formal staging process begins.
7. Empty and organize. If you want to stage your home like a pro, start with a clean slate. That means emptying out the rooms, organizing items and rearranging furniture to maximize space and make the room pop.
8. Clean and scrub. Now that your space is largely empty, it is time for a deep cleaning. Cleaning and scrubbing each room is a key part of successful home staging, and no detail is too small.
9. Depersonalize and declutter. If you do not need it, put it away, and that includes photos and personal items. Depersonalizing and decluttering your space will make your home staging efforts more successful.
10. Go neutral with colorful accents. You cannot predict the personal tastes of the people who will be touring your home, both online and in person. If you want to enhance your home staging efforts, start with a neutral palette, then add some colorful details to make the space pop.
Buying a home is a major monetary commitment, but there are commitments on the other side as well. When you sell your home, you are investing your time and effort, and that has monetary value as well. If you want to make the most of that investment, staging your house for a quick and profitable sale is a good place to start. The 10 step plan outlined above can help you sell your home, so you can book your gains and move on to your new property.
