Are you thinking about selling your house? Then you might have heard staging being mentioned. There is more to staging a house than fluffing pillows, and we will take a look at some of these methods and explain how you can use them to help sell your property.

The Benefits: Why Staging Is Important Before Selling

Before we jump into the staging techniques, let’s first explore why staging your property is worth considering:

• Enhanced Visual Appeal: Staging helps showcase the potential of each room, making it easier for a potential buyer to imagine themselves living there. Well-placed furniture and decor can highlight the house’s best features and create an inviting atmosphere. It’s reported that 81% of agents reported that buyers reported staging made it easier for them to imagine themselves living in a property.

• Online and In-Person Appeal: In today’s digital age, many homebuyers begin their search online. Staging ensures that the property photographs well, attracting more views and potential buyers. Additionally, staged homes typically show better during in-person viewings, leaving a positive, lasting impression.

• Higher Sale Price: Staging can potentially increase the home’s perceived value, leading to offers closer to or even above the asking price. Buyers are often willing to pay more for a house that looks move-in ready and well-maintained. 

We recently discussed the top tips to increase the value of your house; which you can read here.

• Faster Sale: A staged home tends to sell faster than an empty or cluttered one. When buyers see a well-presented home, they are more likely to make an emotional connection and act quickly to secure the property.

Decluttering and Depersonalizing: Creating Space for Buyers to Imagine

When preparing your house for sale, it’s a good idea to spend some time decluttering and depersonalising the space. Here are some tips to help you along the way:

• Start with a Plan: Begin by creating a plan of action for each room in your home. Identify areas that tend to gather clutter and prioritise them. By setting realistic goals and timelines, the decluttering process can be simplified and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.

• Declutter Room by Room: We recommend tackling one room at a time to help you remain focused. Start with areas such as the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom and then make your way through the property to smaller rooms.

• Organisation: Invest in storage solutions such as baskets, bins, and shelving to help organise belongings and tidy up unnecessary items. If you find a lot of items accumulating, we recommend considering donating or selling items you no longer use or need.

• Clear Countertops and Surfaces: In the kitchen and bathroom, clear countertops of small appliances, toiletries, and personal care items. Store these items out of sight to create a clean and organised environment.

• Remove Personal Items: While your family photos and personal items hold sentimental value, they can make it difficult for buyers to imagine themselves living in the space. Pack away personal items such as family photos, and personal collections. As a result, buyers will gain a better personal connection to the property, increasing chances of them pursuing a sale.

Maximising Curb Appeal: Setting the Stage for Memorable First Impressions

Making a positive first impression is important, so let’s look at how we can use the exterior to our advantage:

• Start with the basics: Assess the exterior of your property by stepping outside and examining its condition. If you notice any defects to the exterior, such as peeling paint or damage to the windows, take steps to fix or reduce their appearance.

• Landscaping: The landscape of your property’s garden area is another great opportunity when it comes to staging. Simple efforts could be maintaining your outdoor areas by trimming bushes and trees, mowing the lawn, and edging flower beds for a clean, well-groomed appearance.

• Upgrade the entrance: The front door is the first thing a buyer sees when they view your property. Make it stand out by painting it a bold, inviting colour that complements the overall aesthetic of your property. 

Refreshing Interiors: Creating an Inviting Atmosphere 

The Power of Your Paint Choice

When staging a house for sale, paint and colour choices have a great influence over its potential. Opting for neutral tones provides a versatile backdrop that appeals to a larger number of potential buyers. By choosing specific colours, you can highlight features or create focal points, helping guide the buyer’s attention. 

Quick fixes and updates for kitchens and bathrooms

Quick fixes and updates in the likes of kitchens and bathrooms offer a great opportunity for enhancing their appeal. Simple changes like replacing outdated hardware, updating light fixtures, or refreshing cabinets with a coat of paint, instantly modernise a room without the need for undertaking extensive renovations. 

Adding appropriate décor and accessories

When it comes to enhancing your property’s appeal for potential buyers, the use of decor and accessories can be a game-changer. However, it’s important to be cautious to prevent the space from feeling cluttered. If you’re unsure on how to style your property effectively, you can consult a professional designer to ensure its styled effectively.

Importance of creating an atmosphere

Creating a welcoming atmosphere is a very simple but effective step when staging a house for sale. This can be achieved by having a pleasing scent throughout the house, using freshly scented candles or air fresheners. Additionally, we recommend lighting the property with softly lit overhead lights and placing lamps strategically to help create a warm and cozy atmosphere for buyers.

Photography and Presentation: Creating a Positive Image

When it comes to taking pictures and showing your staged properties, attention to detail is key, both online and in person. It’s important that the techniques we have discussed are completed prior to photographing and presenting your property to ensure its marketed in the best possible condition.

When photographing the property, we would suggest capturing each room from multiple angles, emphasising its best features and maximising natural light. If photography isn’t your strong point, consider hiring a professional photographer to ensure images are of a high-quality, showcasing the property’s full potential.

Showing a property: How to Maximise the Benefits of Staging

• Prepare in Advance: Before the scheduled showing, ensure that you spend time cleaning the property to guarantee it’s presented in the best light. Ensure any personal items and clutter are removed to create a neutral backdrop for buyers.

• Create a Welcoming Atmosphere: As buyers enter the property, greet them warmly and invite them to explore at their own pace. Provide sufficient lighting throughout the home to create a bright and attractive atmosphere.

• Highlight Key Features: During the tour, point out the property’s unique selling points and highlight key features in each room. Draw attention to important features that may be unique or add value to the home.

• Encourage Visualisation: Help buyers envision themselves living in the property by staging each room to showcase its potential. Encourage buyers to picture themselves enjoying the property’s different features and envisioning their own personal touches.

• Provide Information: Be prepared to answer questions about the property, neighbourhood, and local amenities. Location is a huge appeal for buyers, so we recommend gathering important information that may be useful to them about the areas features.

Conclusion

By following these staging methods before selling your property, the marketability and appeal of your property will be positively influenced. In today’s competitive property market, any opportunity to maximise the value of your property and achieve a successful sale is worthwhile. In fact, staging your property before selling can increase your sale price by as much as 10%.

If you’re looking to sell your property, we provide a cost-free service to those looking to sell their properties quickly. To find out more, contact us here.

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