Want to Sell Your Home Fast?  Stage It!

Want to Sell Your Home Fast?  Stage It!

By Janelle D. 5 min read | Selling, Home Staging

To increase the chances of your home selling quickly and for more money, consider staging your home. Staging makes your home more appealing, it's easier for buyers to envision themselves living in your home, and it might lead to receiving multiple offers.  You can stage your home yourself, and save a considerable amount of money, or hire a professional stager. Taking advantage of a stager's expertise and interior design talent may be worth the price.

Benefits of staging a home:
  • Easier for buyers to picture their furniture in your home
  • Easier for buyers to imagine themselves living there
  • Fewer days on market
  • Larger returns

 

Declutter

Staged Homes - Reazo

Whether you stage your home or hire a professional, start by decluttering your home. Decluttering will not only make your home more appealing, but it will also allow for better traffic flow.  To make it easier for buyers to envision their furniture in the space, you'll need to remove worn and unnecessary furniture and knick-knacks and consider the following:

    • Remove the majority of books and trinkets from shelves and furniture
 
  • Keep the most appealing furniture and put the rest in storage
  • Remove area rugs
  • Clean out and organize closets
  • Pare down pantry contents
  • Remove family photos
 
 
Light and Airy
 
Let the light in. A home always seems more inviting and open when there's a lot of natural light. Replace heavy, light-blocking drapes with light, airy drapes and open them whenever you have a showing or open house.  Clean your windows, inside and out, to let even more light in.
 
Buyers will open closets, cabinets, and your pantry so keep them tidy.  It's best to pare down the contents, using containers to organize items.  Use baskets in closets to organize hats, mittens, dog leashes, etc.  Use clear containers in the pantry for pasta, cereal, flour, and sugar.  In your linen closet, roll towels and stack them in neat rows.  Remove unused coats (ex. seasonal coats and footwear) from the entry closet.  All of these changes will leave the potential buyer with the impression that there is plenty of storage and room for their things.
 

 

What to avoid:                                                                                                               

Cluttered bookshelves, distracting prints, too much furniture, area rugs...                       
 

leora-dowling-1307599-unsplashBookshelf_pexels-photo-1125130 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
What to aim for:
 
Neutral walls/furniture and decluttered bookshelves...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Linens
 
Even your linens can help make a good impression on potential buyers.  In bathrooms, hang up your newest, fluffiest towels.  In the bedroom, use crisp, white linens to make the room feel more like a luxurious hotel.  A new comforter and colorful pillows will update the look and make the room feel even more inviting.
 
 
Deep Cleaning
 
Deep cleaning and touch-ups are another important part of preparing your home to sell.  Once you've deep cleaned, only touch-ups will be necessary to maintain the cleanliness of your home while it's on the market.  
  • Have your wall-to-wall carpets professionally cleaned
  • Clean off the top of your fridge (items and grime) and remove magnets and photos
  • Clean the floor under appliances
  • Dust chandeliers and other light fixtures
  • Dust framed art and clean glass
  • Touch up any paint damage
The fewer belongings you have in your home, the easier it will be to keep it clean.  It's faster to vacuum carpets and sweep floors when rooms have minimal pieces of furniture in them.  If tables are free of clutter, you can simply run a duster over the top and you'll be ready for a showing.  Keep furnishings sparse and you'll always be prepared for visits from potential buyers.
 
 
Scents
 
When your home is clean it will smell good, but you may want to add a bit of fragrance.  Although scented candles are the go-to, some buyers perceive them as a way to cover up less-than-desirable smells like pet odors.  You might opt to put a bowl of scented soaps in the bathroom, spray your linens and/or carpets with a natural spray made from essential oils, and/or boil a saucepan of spices (cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sliced oranges) shortly before a showing or open house.  You might even consider baking cookies in the morning to create a warm, welcoming scent and then leave them out for visitors to enjoy.
 
 
Garage & Outdoor Spaces
 
Without going into much detail, take time to organize the garage and tidy up your outdoor spaces too.  Many of the same principles apply -- declutter, touch up paint, and clean (ex. power wash the exterior of your home).  Keep the yard mowed, trim shrubs and trees, and pick up toys and pet waste daily.  For those buyers who love outdoor spaces, your attention to detail could seal the deal.
 
 
Off-Site Storage
 
As you declutter and simplify your house, consider getting a storage unit so all of the unnecessary items can be stored off-site. You'll want to avoid moving overflow into the basement.  When buyers see the clutter in the basement, they may assume there isn't enough storage in the house.  Best to move it off-site or schedule a garage sale or two to get rid of items before putting your home on the market.
 

 

Professional Photos

Once your home is staged, you'll want to have professional photos taken.  When your online photos reflect a well-pulled-together home with little clutter, buyers will be more compelled to want to see the house in person and make an offer.  If a real estate agent is selling your home they will typically hire a photographer.  If you're selling your home yourself, ask friends for references.

 

Finding a Professional Stager

If you decide to hire a professional stager, start by conducting a simple online search for certified home stagers in your area.  Various sites, including this one and this one, provide a good starting point.  Look for the accredited staging professional (ASP) title, although other credentials exist.

Interview the stager, ask for examples of their staging projects and ask for references.  Your real estate agent might have recommendations for stagers too.  If your agent has worked with stagers in the past, they will be able to explain the process, provide pricing, and share before and after photos.  Also, talk to friends who have used stagers to help sell their homes.  When interviewing a stager, consider asking the following questions:

 

  • What are your certification credentials and what training have you received?
  • Do you have business insurance (in case they cause damage to your home)?
  • What is your typical price range and how is it determined? 
  • Will I be charged a one-time fee, a monthly fee, or both?
  • Could I see examples of homes you've recently staged?  References?
  • When are you available and how long will the staging process take?
  • How many rooms do you stage?

 

A professional stager can be the most efficient and effective option when it comes to staging your home so you earn the biggest profit from the sale of your home.  Home stagers have the experience, an eye for interior design, and can quickly get your house in order and looking fantastic.  Although you will have to pay to hire a stager, once you see the return on your investment, the cost may seem minute.  To have your home stages, you can expect to pay anywhere from $300 up to $1,000s, depending on the size of your home.  The price will vary depending on whether you have an empty house or if the stager can use some of your furniture and accessories.  If you want to save money but still invest in a stager, ask if you can hire them for a consultation ($150+) and use their advice to do the staging yourself. Again, the quicker you can get your home staged and on the market, the higher the likelihood of getting it sold in a short period of time.

 

Virtual Staging

Virtual staging is a great way to furnish your vacant home affordably, without actually hauling in furniture.  Photos are taken of vacant rooms and then furniture is superimposed seamlessly over the photos.  Much of the time, it's difficult to tell the difference between real staging and virtual staging.  Virtual staging is much more affordable than hiring a professional stager to bring in furniture and can be completed quickly.  Talk to your agent about virtual staging to help save time and money and sell your home fast.

 

Conclusion

When selling your home, you want to attract as much attention as possible and sell for the highest price -- that's where staging comes into play, real or virtual.  Staging your home will make it much more appealing to potential buyers, and most likely bring higher returns and fewer days on market.  We hope you'll take advantage of the practical staging tips we've provided -- start packing up the clutter, organizing your closets, removing personal photos, and letting some sunshine in.  Keep your house clean and organized so you'll be ready for an open house or last-minute showing. Soon you'll have an under contract sign in the yard.  We wish you a quick sale!

Janelle D.

I've worked in the real estate sector for more than a decade and enjoy sharing my knowledge on the subject and researching the latest trends. In my free time I like to craft, spend time with my family and dog, participate in outdoor activities like hiking, and I'm passionate about photography.

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