Many home sellers find themselves in the unfortunate position of being unable to sell their home quickly. A few weeks pass with little to no buyer interest, and as a home seller, you’re forced to wonder whether you’re doing something wrong.
One key strategy for speeding up the sale process (and attracting higher bids at the same time) is staging your home for interested buyers. But how exactly does home staging work, and what steps should you take to execute the best strategy?
Alternatives to Home Staging
First, understand that home staging may not be the best solution to your problem. For example, you may be able to attract more interested buyers by simply lowering the price; if you’re more interested in selling the home quickly than getting the highest possible bid, this tactic should work in your favor.
You may also be able to sell your home, as is, for cash. By working with a home buying organization, you’ll be able to get an immediate offer for your home. You won’t have to worry about staging the home, cleaning it, or handling major repairs—instead, the process becomes simple and almost instant.
Tips for Staging Your Home
If you decide to stick it out in the real estate market, you’ll want to follow these tips to stage your home properly:
- Depersonalize the home. One of your first steps will be completely depersonalizing your home. You may be sentimentally attached to some of the artwork hanging on your walls, and you may still have family photos on display—but these items may turn off prospective buyers. Buyers want to imagine what the home would be like to be theirs, and they can’t do that if the home is still full of another family’s possessions. Keep things as neutral as possible.
- Clean up the excess clutter. Clutter naturally accumulates in all homes, but if you want to make the right impression with new buyers, you’ll need to carefully manage it. Take the time to get rid of the excess clutter throughout your home, and allow as much space as possible.
- Rearrange the furniture. Another important strategy is to take the time to arrange your furniture in a way that makes your home look bigger, newer, or more inviting. This may require you to rent pieces of furniture for a better display. Either way, allow plenty of space between and around your furniture, and try to make your rooms look warm and spacious.
- Do a deep cleaning. Home staging necessitates a deep cleaning of your entire home, including all the nooks and crannies. Random carpet stains, lines of dust behind the refrigerator, or dirty windows can be a huge turnoff for buyers—especially if they’re doing a walk-through of the home. If you aren’t confident in your abilities to clean the house to a satisfactory degree, consider hiring a professional cleaning company. It’s usually well worth the money to get the job done right.
- Include more greenery. A bit of plant life can instantly make your home seem fresher and more inviting. Add a few live plants throughout the home, if you can. Otherwise, fake plants serve as a convenient alternative.
- Consider adding a fresh coat of paint. Applying a coat of paint may be a hassle, but it’s an inexpensive way to make your home seem newer and cleaner. Plus, if your home is full of bold or eccentric colors, this is a good chance to cover them up with more neutral tones, like tan or beige. Even if you love the way your previous colors accentuated the best features of your home, neutral tones will be more likely to help your home sell faster.
- Allow more natural light. Lighting is key for effective home staging, especially if you plan on leaning on photography. If you have ample windows, keep them open to let in as much natural light as possible. If there are any weak spots with minimal natural light, complement the sunbeams with artificial light, targeted on the most important areas for buyers to see.
- Make a strong first impression. Finally, make sure you make a strong first impression. When prospective buyers walk in the front door for the first time, they should be pleasantly surprised by your arrangements.
To complement your staging tactics, make sure you invest in professional photography. A good photographer will show off your home in the best possible light, highlighting its best features while minimizing its weaknesses. They’ll be able to show off your home staging efforts, and create a much more professional listing for your home. If done correctly, it should help your home sell faster and for a higher price.