Five Mistakes to Avoid in Home Staging

Staged Living Room

FIVE MISTAKES TO AVOID IN HOME STAGING

MISTAKE #1   STAGING A HOME BEFORE IT IS CLEAN.

Staging before clean up  is as the saying goes, like  “putting lipstick on a pig.” 

The steps prior to staging a home to sell are to 1) tidy up, 2) clean up 3) finish any repairs  and then start staging your home.   Home staging is dressing your home to sell and includes furnishings, decor, art, lighting, and plants.

MISTAKE #2  STAGING AROUND OUTDATED FURNITURE

Use your best pieces for staging and not your castoff furnishings.  If there is a disconnect between the age of the furniture and the age or style  of the house, then rent, buy, or borrow more contemporary furniture. The goal of staging is to appeal to the most prospective buyers.  Most buyers are looking for current trends, move-in-ready, and for the house  to look like what they see on HGTV!

MISTAKE #3  RATIONALIZING LEAVING PROBLEMS FOR BUYERS

Color and design choices and wallpaper choices are highly personal and can quickly become dated in the eyes of a buyer.  Wallpaper is often a known deal killer.  A professional home staging consultation can recommend solutions to such design challenges. 

MISTAKE #4  TOO MANY PATTERNS OR TOO MANY COLORS 

There should be a unifying theme of color and pattern that creates appealing flow from room to room in the home.  Intense  colors make rooms look smaller.  Different colors in each room makes the house have a choppy flow.  Too many patterns can make rooms appear cluttered, particularly in photos.  The staging goal is to lighten and enlarge the appearance of all the spaces.  Buyers go by what they see! 

MISTAKE #5    TOO  STAGED, TOO DECORATED,

The appealing staged look is usually streamlined more than a “decorator” look.  A house can appear too staged when there is too much decor such as every shelf packed tight with collections.  A house can feel overwhelming when the furniture is too big, or decor is oversized.  For example, a 3 foot high centerpiece on a small dining table is overdone.  Staged or not, huge dining centerpieces are not functional.  Other items often good for decorating but clutter staging space are 4 poster beds, huge pottery urns,  electronics, exercise equipment, and pool tables. 

In conclusion, avoiding these five staging mistakes will help you stage your home for more buyer appeal.   Buyers make the decision to buy a home based on first impressions.  It may only take a few seconds and a decision is made.  Buyers like to envision themselves in a clean, uncluttered contemporary space - like a show home.  Finally, the biggest mistake would be not staging your home. Staging is like the frosting on the cake, what makes it so appealing!  For any assistance with home staging or any questions about getting your home staged, call Beverly Carlson at 325-721-2429.