Home Staging Mistakes to Avoid

Stage Your House Like a Pro

If you’ve talked to real estate agents or watched any home selling show, you know that prepping your home for potential buyers means decluttering, depersonalizing and deep cleaning. But these are only the basics, and there is so much more you can do to stage your home. Successful home staging can make a huge impact and help you get top dollar for your home.

The first thing you want to do is to appeal to as many buyers as possible. The next thing is to use these tips ensure you do.

Clutter-Free, Please

From knick-knacks to pet toys, freeing up space is the first rule of staging. Clutter can be very distracting to buyers, and you want them to be drawn to the room, not your personal belongings. It’s important that buyers can envision themselves living there. Plus, extra clutter can make a room appear smaller. Baskets are excellent for throwing items in that you need but don’t necessarily want out for everyone to see. Consider renting a storage unit if you require more space to store things.

 Picture This
Buyers are online, so making sure your home photographs well is vital to grabbing their interest. A professional photographer will look to windows and fireplaces as a focal point, so stage your furniture around that. It’s important not to block windows and remove unnecessary furniture so the photos are all about the room, not your personal things.

 Call In the Experts

You can save valuable time by calling an expert. Hiring a professional stager or interior decorator is a smart way to make sure every room in your house shines. They can also save you a great deal of money, time and energy. Since they bring a third-party view to your home, they can focus on helping your property appeal to a wide variety of buyers. And if it sells your home faster and for more, it’s totally worth it.

Neglecting Your Outdoor Space

Sellers are often so focused on the inside of their home that they forget to also stage the outside. This includes your front and back yards. Think of a patio or deck space as an extension of your living space and add furniture that best fits it. Maybe a bistro style table and chairs are perfect for dining on a small city balcony, whereas a large outdoor sofa and chair is great for a sociable family household.

Lighting is Key

A bright and airy room can make all the difference, so make sure you think about how each room is lit. You really want to maximize a room’s natural light with window treatments that let plenty of light in. One way to boost brightness is to pay attention to curtain placement. Many designers will tell you to hang your curtains two inches from the ceiling as this helps make the windows seem bigger and the room taller, which are two big positives. Think about changing outdated lighting fixtures and brighter bulbs. Updates to ceiling lighting and those in your kitchen and bathrooms can make a world of difference.

Getting your home ready to sell can feel overwhelming at times, but try to remember all your hard work will pay off. Use these tips to make sure your home is ready to wow buyers!

Gustavo Gonzalez

Senior Manager, Content & Multimedia at Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. In his role he manages content strategy and execution across several platforms. He’s held other roles within the Marketing Department ranging from Previews & Product Development to the day to day management of the coldwellbanker.com redesign. Besides being a marketer, Gustavo is a filmmaker, musician and writer.