When you are preparing to sell your home, you might want to consider using DIY house staging ideas to impress viewers online or onsite visits. You need to work with a professional home stager who can provide an independent assessment of your house because when we live in a house, it is hard to see the “flaws” or “issues” that will be evident to buyers and to properly prepare all areas of the house and yard for sale. There are plenty of things you can do to enhance your home and make it more inviting and attractive to prospective buyers. With minimal cost and effort, you can beat the competition by making your property irresistible. Here are a few home staging tips you can do on your own.
Make the Necessary Repairs
Fix all the obvious problems that buyers would notice. If you don’t know what those are, as your professional home stager or get a home inspection up front. Change burned-out lightbulbs, repair cracked windows, patch noticeable holes in the walls. Keep the lawn mowed and remove weeds for a neat, well-kept yard. Oil the squeaky door hinges and repair crumbling foundation stones or leaky plumbing. Visit your local hardware store for inexpensive tools and supplies to keep costs low instead of hiring contractors, unless necessary.
Clear the Clutter
Staging your home is a great impetus for removing clutter. Clear out the attic, basement, and garage. Donate unused appliances and vehicles. Have a yard sale to get rid of old clothes, appliances, and toys the kids no longer play with. Recycle worn equipment and dispose of unused chemical solvents and cleaners. Freeing up space in your home will make it look bigger and more appealing to buyers. Room arrangement and flow is important, as is updating your house for the target buyer. It is important to have a professional home stager give you a complete assessment of your property, as Staging is more than just removing things. You also need to consider flow, form and function of each room and ensure buyers clearly understand the purpose of the rooms in your house.
Focus on Key Areas
Dress up the areas of your home where buyers will spend most of their time. Typically, these are the living room, kitchen, bathrooms, and dining room—areas where families and guests congregate. Freshen the paint in these rooms and consider new window blinds if needed. Have the carpets cleaned or refinish the wood flooring. Update the lighting and make sure the HVAC is working properly for comfortable indoor air. Remove personal effects like photos, trophies, and other mementos that personalize the home so buyers can envision their own belongings there. A professional home stager can give you proper guidance on what colors to paint, what to purchase if you are going to update any decor. The last thing you should do is customize the house to your taste or style. You are not buying your house, and therefore need to always consider the target buyer and what THEY want to see in the house.
Borrow or Rent Furnishings
If your furniture is in good condition, have it cleaned and add updated accent pillows and a throw for a layer of softness and color. If your furniture is in storage or past its prime, rent furniture for the selected areas while your home is being shown to potential buyers and keep it Staged until you have gotten the clear to close. Many professional home stagers have furniture and decor they provide for this purpose, and will select the right items and set it up properly to accomplish the goal you desire. Clean the end tables or coffee table and use updated and tasteful decor to highlight the surfaces. Do not go to thrift stores and pick up old items or borrow your parents’ antique twin lamps for the piano or other dated decorating items as the target buyer will not like them. Remember, Staging is not about putting any old things in your house. It is about considering your target buyer and what they like – and then presenting your house accordingly. That is why a professional home stager is necessary as they will guide you properly with your investment of time and dollars during this process.
A few steps like these can practically transform your house into a lovely new arrangement of furnishings and open space that buyers will love. Plan a few innovations to optimize your home’s marketing appeal.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan