Home staging is a popular strategy many realtors use to help a house sell quickly. Staging a home involves preparing it in a way that impresses buyers, focuses on the home's best assets, and attracts greater interest, hopefully getting more bids and selling the home at the best price possible.
Not all homes on the market are staged, but those that are can often command higher sales prices. Several great tips for staging your home include:
- Make sure it's clean and fresh. This tip is a bit of a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at how many homes on the market are not kept clean. Unfortunately, this can knock off thousands – or even tens of thousands – in the final sales price since most people have difficulty visualizing what the home would look like after a deep clean. Moreover, people like purchasing things that look and feel new. A deep clean, even if you have to pay cleaners, can do wonders for helping to boost the market value of your home. And be mindful of getting rid of odors. A damp odor, or a pet smell, can be a deal breaker for many buyers. Fortunately, most homes look and smell fresh after a deep clean, which puts you in a great place to have a higher sales price.
- Get rid of clutter and personal effects. If your home is cluttered with your personal effects, it can be difficult for buyers to see themselves living in the home. Clutter can also make your home look and feel smaller than it truly is. Doing a quick run-through of the house and packing your knickknacks, documents, family photos, toys, and games to put in storage is a great way to make the house appear more neutral and open. As an added bonus, you can also get a headstart on packing for when the home sells and you have to move!
- Look for new neutral colors. If you are like most homeowners, chances are that you personalized your home when you moved in; after all, that is part of the joy of owning a home – you can tailor it just how you want it! But, it's very likely that any potential buyer will not have the same style or taste as you. Additionally, if you have lived in the home for a number of years, your carpet or flooring likely has some stains or warping, and your paint may be chipping or wallpaper peeling. And while the last thing you may want to do is invest more money in a home you are about to sell, these quick cosmetic upgrades can be a game changer regarding your listing price. You can often expect a return on investment far exceeding the cost of replacing these items. But the big thing to remember here is to select neutral, popular colors. If you pick something that you like – but isn't popular – you may defeat the entire purpose of replacing paint and flooring.
Selling a home is an exciting time. To learn more about staging your home and maximizing your listing price, contact Wonica Realtors today!
Wonica Realtors & Appraisers are Staten Island's #1 independent full-service real estate firm, serving the needs of the community for over 30 years. Whether you are buying, selling, renting, or relocating, our staff of highly trained professionals will provide quality realty services with personal attention to your individual real estate needs.