Photo: © Hikesterson - iStockPhoto
When it comes to selling your home, it's important to consider things from the buyer's perspective. Your home may feel cozy and perfect to you, but to someone else, it may look cluttered and outdated. Before allowing anyone into your home for an open house, consider working with a real estate agent to stage it appropriately. Staging is the process of highlighting the best things about your home while minimizing its less-than-positive aspects.
The goal of home staging is to allow the prospective buyer to visualize living there. Although it can be difficult, that means removing as many things personalized to you and your family as possible. This starts by getting rid of clutter and taking down personal photos. You still want to leave some decorations visible, but try to ensure they're entirely generic.
1. Group Your Furniture to Make the Room Appear Larger
It's a common mistake to push furniture against a wall to make the room seem larger. It's better to pull each piece away from the wall to make the flow of foot traffic apparent to anyone who views the room. Try placing the sofa and chairs into groups that would make it easy for people sitting into them to have a conversation. This makes the room look larger as well as more inviting.
2. Make Sure You Have Good Lighting in Every Room
Dim lights or a lack of lights can turn a potential buyer off because it makes the property seem unfriendly. When staging your home, invest in 100-watt bulbs and make sure you have one bulb shining for every 50 square feet that you want buyers to see. Real estate professionals also recommend displaying the following types of lighting:
• Accent: Accent lighting is for your floors and walls
• Ambient: This is general or overhead lighting
• Task: This goes underneath cabinets or acts as a reading light
3. Get More Advice from a Professional
These are just a handful of things that have proven successful for home staging. A local real estate agent can give you more ideas as well as assist you with the actual staging. Think of preparing your home in the same way you would prepare yourself to go on a job interview. First impressions mean everything.
