Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home

Your home is like a boxed cake.

Yes, you heard me right. Your house is like a nice box of chocolate cake. When it comes time to sell that chocolate cake, you can either bake it straight from the box’s instructions, or you can add your own spin to it. To make the cake stand out the rest of the bake sale goods, you can add strawberries, chocolate chips, or walnuts to the mix.

Now, you’re probably wondering, “What does chocolate cake have to do with selling my home?”

Before you put your home on the market, you can prepare in one of two ways. The first option is to sell the house exactly how it is now. The second way includes sprucing up the space through irresistible staging. As a Des Moines Real Estate agent, I always suggest the latter.

Why? According to the Real Estate Staging Association, staged homes sell 73% faster than the non-staged competition.

Follow these 5 home staging tips to sell your home, room by room.

LIVING ROOM

Imagine opening up the doors of a home and being welcomed by a dark and cluttered living room. I bet you’re thinking, “I could never live here.” Well, that’s what home buyers think when they walk into a house with a poorly arranged living room.

Create a positive first impression by transforming your living room into a palatable palace.

First, make it an inviting space by lighting up the room. Open the curtains, add lighting fixtures or light candles. If it adds light, it’s a bonus. Second, choose a color palette that’s pleasing to the eye by selecting neutral-colored fabrics for large pieces paired with pops of color with pillows and plants. Lastly, make the room appear larger and more spacious by removing some furniture.

Follow these tips for a light, bright and big first impression.

KITCHEN

The kitchen is the heart of a home. Families and friends gather night-after-night to spend quality time together over a great meal. It’s no wonder that good kitchens are a huge selling point.

Allow potential buyers to picture their family in your kitchen by staging it to sell.

Obviously, the first thing you want to do is scrub it down. If your house is anything like mine, there are tiny chocolate fingerprints on the refrigerator and pantry door. Although they’re cute, they don’t sell homes, so clean off every surface. The next step includes clearing countertops by tucking away all appliances and utensils, even if you use them daily. Similar to your living room, removing items will create a spacious feel. Finally, add life and color by decorating with a vase of flowers or bowl filled with fruit.

BEDROOMS

If you’re getting your daily-recommended 8 hours a day, then you’re likely spending the majority of at-home-time in the bedroom. The same goes for buyers.

A proven way to sell your home is to do home staging that appeals to both genders. Take this philosophy to assemble a gender-neutral master bedroom. Remove any overly-floral or industrial items and replace them with soft tones and mixed materials.

Additionally, get creative with guest bedrooms. If you have an extra room, give it a new identity by staging it as a home office, movie room, or craft station. This is a great way for tourists to see the versatility in your house.

BATHROOMS

Bathrooms are secret show stoppers or sale stompers. Powder rooms and ensuites can sell a home or sink it. Staging is a great way to help obtain the 73% figure mentioned above.

Create a spa-like experience by accessorizing with upscale decor. Hang white fluffy towels, fill a bowl with bath salts, arrange a variety of organic soap bars in a wicker basket, and light a few candles.

These small updates ensure that visitors see themselves relaxing in their future washroom.

EXTERIOR

Homeowners often overlook the importance of staging the outside of their house. Once you’re done fluffing pillows and retouching paint on the interior, head outdoors to spruce up curb appeal.

As future buyers drive up, ensure they can spot your house by updating your house number with an attractive steel alternative. After they step out of their car, have them step onto a path lined with colorful flowers. Finally, just before they reach to open the door, catch their eye by dressing up the doorway with a welcoming door mat and wreath.  

Give potential buyers an unbeatable first impression, even before they open the front door.

Updating each of the 5 rooms will quickly take your house from drab to fab. These home staging tips are sure to sell your home 73% faster than the non-staged competition!