Top 5 Tips for Effective Home Staging
By
Karly Howell
Staging a home
is one of the most important steps in a quick sale. With the abundance of
design shows on TV today, many sellers think that staging only includes
furniture and that it costs a lot of money, but neither is true. Here are 5
easy, low-cost tips to help prepare your home for sale.
1) DECLUTTER!
You
think your cookie jar collection and prized comic book memorabilia are great,
but your potential buyer doesn’t necessarily share the same opinion. The focus
needs to be on your house and not on the objects inside or around it. Too much
clutter is distracting, and potential buyers may miss the special features of
the home with all the visual periphery. Two ideas to help cut down clutter are 1)
rent a short term storage unit in which to place all the extras or 2) start
packing early and place unneeded items away in a basement or closet.
2) Clean-up
The
house should shine both inside and out and look newly cleaned. Pay special attention
to wood trim, ceiling fans, and windows. Again, you want to highlight the
selling features of the house. If it’s noticeably dirty or there a foul odor
coming from the pantry, buyers won’t stay long. Make it feel welcoming and
fresh - think about your last experience in a nicer hotel. You’ll want to
create the same experience in your home. Avoid using any heavy scented sprays
that could be bothersome to your potential buyers.
3) Depersonalize
Take
the time to remove family photos, monograms, or name decorations. Potential buyers want to imagine their family in the home and where their pictures and
items will be placed. Help to create this experience by tucking away all personal
things. Also, depersonalize to protect your privacy since strangers will be in
your home. In addition, objects that are
considered controversial or offensive need to be removed too. Items that fall
into this category are taxidermy, provocative images, and symbols associated
with notorious groups/ideas.
4) Appropriate
furniture
Furniture
is a great benefit in staging a home because it helps potential home owners
plan for their own furniture in a room. A few rules to follow: make sure the
scale of the furniture is appropriate for the room size. A small kitchen table
is not suitable in an oversized dining room. On the flip side, avoid placing
oversized furniture, like a large sectional sofa in a small living room. It can
make the space feel more confined and less functional. Too much furniture can
become an obstacle to. It’s better to have nothing in the room then to have the
wrong size pieces. It’s also important to make sure the furniture is appropriate
for the location it’s placed in. Don’t place beds in living spaces, offices in
dining rooms etc.
5) Highlight
special features
This
seems obvious but sometimes is a missed opportunity. Special features can
include anything that is visually appealing, helpful, cost effective, or just plain
cool.
Draw
attention to these elements by showcasing them. If you have built-ins or architectural
niches, place attractive, decorative items there and keep it neat. If there’s an
uninviting concrete slab patio, show it’s functionality by creating a small
seating area with potted plants and decorative accents. Work with what you have
and draw out the positive attributes.
For
professional staging advice, contact Karly Howell Design for a complimentary
home consultation. karlyhowelldesign@gmail.com
For more advice for selling your home, contact The Mary Ellen Vanaken Team - Keller Williams Realty - North Atlanta. 5780 Windward Parkway, Suite 100, Alpharetta, GA 30005 www.northatlantaluxury.com
Top 5 Tips for Effective Home Staging
