Are you interested in making a quick sale on your home? One of the most important factors that can increase the dollar amount and decrease your home’s length of time on the market is staging. Did you know that 83% of all buyers' agents agreed that staging a home made it easier for buyers to visualize themselves living in the house?
Staging a home can increase the likelihood that potential buyers will envision themselves making a life there. Home staging can increase the appeal and the dollar amount that buyers are willing to pay. In this guide, we will give you a comprehensive list of our top home staging tips to make a fast sale. You will be surprised at some of the little things you can do to increase the appeal of your home.
Clean and Declutter
One of our top home staging tips for sellers is to clean and declutter your home. The cleaning process should include more than normal, routine cleaning. You may want to hire a professional company to clean the house inside and out. This includes baseboards, window sills, door frames, and external pathways. You would be surprised at how often a thorough clean can change the look and feel of a home. You should also clean the external pathways, driveways, and exterior walls of the house with a pressure washer to remove years of dirt and grime.
The decluttering process involves removing any personal items. You should remove family pictures, kids’ trophies, and other personal effects. This will help potential buyers feel as if they can create a personal atmosphere after you move out.
New Paint
Nothing can change the look of a house more than adding fresh, neutral-colored paint to the walls. This is one of our cheaper home staging tips since basic paint is relatively inexpensive. Walls can get dirty, especially in high-traffic areas. Instead of scrubbing them, go over your walls with a new coat of paint. We recommend choosing light, neutral colors such as beige. Most buyers want a blank slate to decorate as they see fit.
Give Every Room a Purpose
Did you know that 47% of buyers said the living room is the most important staged room in the house? After a family has lived in a home for a while, there tends to be a melding of all the spaces due to personal items and clutter. The living room might quickly become shared with the game room.
Our advice is to define each room and give it a clear purpose. If you have an extra bedroom, you may want to turn it into an office or game room. If you have a large garage space, you should clean it up and maybe make it look like a small workshop. This will help maximize the usable square footage and impress potential buyers.
You need to have every room laid out with clear distinctions. One common area where this can be a problem is the dining room area. If that room is near your kitchen, make sure there is a clear distinction between where the kitchen ends and the dining room begins.
Flooring
One of our tips for staging your home is to focus on the flooring. The floors, after all, are the gateway to each space in your home. If you have carpet, you should get them steam cleaned a few days before your home goes on the market. For hardwood, concrete, or some tile flooring, you should have them cleaned and polished.
You should also focus on the tile in the bathroom. It should be sparkling when guests come for a viewing. You should take the time to make any simple repairs, such as regrouting and sealing tile or hardwood floors.
Light Fixtures
Many of us don't pay much attention to our light fixtures when we have lived in a place for a while, but buyers do. Many light fixtures can become outdated since we do not consider changing them very often. We recommend updating these with more modern fixtures. The days of clunky ceiling fan light fixtures are long gone. You should opt for sleeker centerpieces. You should also consider how much lighting you have in a space. Floor lamps can go a long way to increase cozy lighting.
Make Minor Repairs
Remember that leaky faucet in the kitchen? Well, now is the perfect time to repair it. Buyers want to see all the minor details of a home in good working order. You should focus on small repairs, such as plumbing, flooring, or windows. These repairs do not take very long, and you can likely do them yourself.
You should consider tackling any larger repairs as well. Potential buyers might shy away if they find out a major repair will need to be done within six months of their purchase.
Landscaping and Exterior
Buyers love to see a house with curb appeal. First impressions matter, and buyers are more likely to be impressed with a house that looks good when driving by it. You should start with the exterior walls of your house. We recommend pressure washing the exterior walls and repainting if needed.
You should focus on landscaping by mowing the grass and making sure there are no missing patches. We recommend laying out new mulch and planting flowers. Another great way to impress a buyer for a fast sale is to have plants around the entryways and front door. This helps set the ambiance when a buyer walks into your home.
Key Takeaways
Selling a home quickly is all about making a buyer love your home as much as you have. In this guide, we have given you our insider tips for staging your home to make a fast sale. We covered the interior and exterior factors that truly matter to a buyer.
You will need some more guidance from a successful team of real estate agents in your local Georgian market if you are interested in making a fast sale on your home. Contact us for expert advice on selling your home quickly and getting the top dollar from a buyer.
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