Staging homes can come with a variety of challenges. Kids and clutter go together like peanut butter and jelly, which can be a real mess when selling a home. To entice family buyers and avoid turning off buyers without children, these tips can help Stage in a home with children.
Downsize One of the biggest hurdles to Staging a lived-in home is balancing the owner’s belongings with what sellers want to see. Children in particular have a lot toys and limited space. Ask home sellers to downsize the amount of toys present in the house.
Reducing the toys to a single plastic tub or create a bookshelf with canvas boxes to hide the toys from potential buyers. Have parents go through their children’s old toys to donate unused toys. Remove messy doughs and crafts to keep the house showroom ready. By reducing the amount of toys in a seller’s home, you reduce the potential for a mess.Clear the Closets Some parents may balk at paring down the children’s toys, opting to store them instead. So long as the storage is out of the house, that’s no problem. It’s when they decide to store children’s toys in closets and spare rooms that sellers run into problems.
Potential buyers are going to look in the nooks and crannies of a home. If the closets are stuffed to the gills with Barbies or the spare room overrun with toy cars, they get the impression that storage is a problem. No matter how spacious the living areas, the overflowing storage areas will raise alarm bells. Ask whether excess toys can be put in storage or temporarily moved to a relative’s house.Add a Coat of Paint While a room of bright colors may be appreciated by the child, homebuyers will probably not appreciate bright pink walls or a room clad in different colors. Taking the time and effort to return the walls to a more neutral color will help attract homebuyers without children as well as giving parents a fresh palette for their child’s room.
Double Up
Home sellers hope to be out quickly so ask whether they would be amenable to having the children share a room until the sale is made. This will limit the amount of room for children’s clutter and allow the seller to showcase an unused room as a guest room or office.
Don’t Forget the Outside
Curb appeal has a huge impact on sales so don’t keep the inside clean only to let the outside go to shambles. Keep bikes from littering the driveway and ensure all outdoor toys and areas can cleaned appropriately. Safety is key for many families so dilapidated forts should go.
Staging a home with children sometimes presents more challenges, but ultimately can increase the chance for the home’s sale. Many families are looking for a new place to call home and having a children’s room set up can help them envision themselves in that residence. With that benefit in mind, Stagers still need to also take appropriate steps to attract homebuyers without children. Keeping toys to a minimum, rooms freshly painted and clean, and the outdoors organized can help Stagers work with children in the home ready for sale.With over 20 years of experience in the nanny world as an award-winning nanny, agency director, and parenting author, Michelle LaRowe is considered a leading industry expert. A mom herself, she loves to educate parents and nannies on the importance of quality in-home childcare. Find out more by visiting @eNannySource on Twitter.