In order to sell your house for a good price in no time, you must know which mistakes to avoid when staging your home for sale. Keep reading to find out!
Featured image.
Alt-tag: White, gray, and red house.
Proper home staging is a crucial part of preparing your home for sale in today’s competitive real estate market. Potential buyers need to visualize themselves living in your space, and first impressions matter immensely, so you must highlight all that’s good about your home. To get everything right and to appeal to the broadest range of buyers, you should know which mistakes to avoid when staging your home for sale. In the following article, we will point out some of the most common pitfalls, so make sure that none of them are happening in your home.
Keeping your home too personal
Our homes are our private oases from the outside world, so we tend to make the place we live in as personal and cozy as possible. We decorate it according to our taste and try to make it unique, as a reflection of our character. However, when you’re selling your home, you have different goals. During this time, your primary goals are:
- Appealing to as many potential buyers as possible
- Selling the home quickly
- Selling it for the top dollar
To achieve all of these, you should go for a neutral look when it comes to decor and personal items around the house. Put away your family photos and replace them with some abstract or geometric artwork. Repaint your walls and doors with soothing, neutral colors. If you have colorful kitchen countertops, replace them with new ones in neutral shades. When potential buyers enter your home, they want to see clean lines and a welcoming home environment. So, in order to depersonalize your home, you should also put away any personal treasures, collections, and memorabilia (store them somewhere safe).
Caption: Go for neutral colors and abstract artwork.
Alt-tag: A modern, tidy living room with details in neutral colors.
Not appealing to your target audience
One of the common mistakes to avoid when staging your home for sale is not having your target audience in mind. You should know the profile of people who are most likely to buy a house in your neighborhood. For example, if your neighborhood is made up of young professionals and their families, you can opt for a modern color palette and decor. On the other hand, if your area is comprised mostly of seniors and retirees, it makes sense to go for a traditional look. The relocation team behind NYC Mini Storage suggest that, to understand your neighborhood, take some time to research and look around to see who has moved in recently. Then, you’ll find ways to appeal to your target audience and make your home sell faster.
Using too many details
It’s good to have some accent pieces in your rooms, but avoid displaying too much small stuff. Avoid too many decorative throw pillows, a lot of frames, tables crowded with trinkets, etc. If you want to achieve a sophisticated look, use fewer big things rather than a bunch of small ones. For instance, put one large vase and some greenery on the coffee table. That will create a much better impression than an array of small items.
Caption: One of the mistakes to avoid when staging your home for sale is keeping too many accents and details.
Alt-tag: Bookshelves and plants near a gray couch.
Skimping on lighting
Homebuyers love bright and airy spaces, so you should opt to have lots of lighting in your home. Maximize natural light and boost brightness in all areas of your home. Move any heavy, bulky, or dark-colored window curtains and drapes that block light. Instead, choose light and translucent curtains that will accent your windows. Also, a good idea is to incorporate floor and table lamps to create different layers of lighting. Buy soft or warm LED white bulbs and make sure all bulbs in your home are the same so that the rooms will look cohesive.
Underestimating the importance of curb appeal
Another one of the common mistakes to avoid when staging your home for sale is focusing on the interior and neglecting the outdoor areas. No matter how much you take care of your home, and no matter how nice finishing touches look inside, you shouldn’t neglect your yard and any outdoor features you might have. If potential buyers conclude that you’re not taking care of your yard, they will assume that you’re not taking care of your home either. That’s why it’s crucial to stage outdoor areas and improve the curb appeal of your home with these basic steps:
- Regular lawn maintenance and pulling weeds are essential
- Set up a cozy sitting area somewhere in the shade, with a nice table, chairs, etc.
- Incorporate potted plants to make your yard more aesthetically appealing
Caption: Curb appeal makes the first impression when potential homebuyers visit your home.
Alt-tag: A beautiful house with lots of plants in the garden.
Leaving clutter around the home
Many homeowners don’t realize the importance of decluttering their homes as a part of the home staging process. If there’s too much of your stuff around, the home will look messy even if you take care of everything else. If there are not enough storage areas in your home, a storage unit in the area can come in handy. Homeowners from NYC often decide to rent storage while showing a home to potential buyers. That proved to be a great solution because it’s a way to keep a house tidy at all times without any clutter popping around. Meanwhile, your belongings will wait safely in a secured unit.
Forgetting to clean up
No matter how much time and money you put into staging your home to sell, it’s crucial to keep it clean at all times. For home buyers, there’s no better smell than the smell of a clean home. Even the best-designed room will look awful if it has dirty carpet and dusty shelves. Deep cleaning is crucial if you want to appeal to any buyer. Make sure all rooms are cleaned thoroughly and pay special attention to the kitchen and bath. All windows should be sparkling and clear. Sweep and organize your garage, attic, and basement as well. Also, you must focus on the entryway and make sure there are no fingerprints on the doorknob or cobwebs on any light fixtures.
The bottom line
As you can see, there are many mistakes to avoid when staging your home for sale. Proper staging is a worthwhile investment since it can increase sale price significantly and help you sell much faster.
