If you’re going to list your house to sell on the open market and you don’t want to spend months dealing with the process, you’re going to want to make some very smart decisions in how you market the home. That includes how you price it, how you take care of it, and how you stage it. Staging your home to sell is absolutely critical to making a fast sale with market buyers. Of course, you could always forgo the hassle and costs and sell your house as-is to a real estate investor. But if you want to try to maximize your profits on the market, here are some tips to stage like a pro.
How to Stage Your House Like a Pro In Dallas, Texas
Get Rid of Clutter
First things first. Before you can stage your house in a way that’s appealing to all kinds of buyers, you’re going to want to declutter it. While you might love all of the furniture, furnishings, and memorabilia in your house, chances are some of it is overcrowding rooms and drawing attention that it shouldn’t. The truth is that if you hire a professional stager, they’re probably going to want to move most of your belongings out of the house anyway, so this is a great time to make some hard decisions about what you can get rid of and what belongs in storage, at least until you get a new house.
Group Your Furniture
Most of the time, people push their furniture against the walls in each room in order to create more space. However, that actually tends to do the opposite. A better idea for staging your home is “floating” furniture away from walls and towards each other. It creates a sense of conversational spaces and introduces foot traffic flow that wasn’t there before. It not only makes the rooms feel bigger but also makes them feel cozier, which you want to showcase.
Clear Out Problem Rooms
Everyone has one of those rooms. It’s a storage room or a workout room or maybe just a junk room. Rather than show off your mess to potential buyers, turn it into something that might actually add value to the home. Clearing it out and adding a few pieces of furniture can do wonders to take what was a throwaway room and turn it into a reading room or meditation space.
Fix the Lighting
Does your home have great lighting? Or have you kept the same lamps and lights for the last decade? Great lighting can do wonders to remake your house and make it feel welcoming without big changes. First, go get some bulbs with higher wattages that still work in your fixtures and lamps. Then, consider how each room can get three different types of lighting. Ambient (overhead), task (reading lights), and accent (on tables or against walls).
Do Some Design Tricks
It’s amazing what a little bit of paint can do to make rooms seem bigger or more inviting. If you’ve got a room that could use a little boost in size perception, paint it the same color at the adjacent one in order to create a larger sense of space. If you want to make a porch or sunroom seem bigger, paint it green to make people think of nature. And another way to make spaces seem bigger is to paint the walls the same color as your drapes, which not only adds size but also makes things look more sophisticated.
Keep Living Spaces Neutral
While there are plenty of bright colors that you use elsewhere, the main living area should be painted with muted, neutral colors. You want these spaces to feel warm and inviting while also appealing to the widest possible audience. Buyers should walk into a living room feeling like this is their space, not yours. So consider tans, beiges, honey, and even soft blues and greens. Also, consider going the neutral route in any large space like a dining room or foyer.
Mix Up Wall Hangings
Most people hang their paintings and artwork in the same way. In a straight line that encircles the room at the same level. That actually works against you as the brain focuses less on them when they’re in stereotypical spots we’d expect them to be. Instead, make your wall art stand out by hanging it at varying heights to create unique styles and shapes. Do make sure you put any really wacky or avant-garde artwork in storage as not to overwhelm buyers.
Bring the Outdoors Inside
We do a lot of work to make our homes feel natural and in tune with the outside world. But why stop there, let’s literally bring some of nature’s beautiful bounty inside as a way to really drive that message across to buyers. If you can afford to, get fresh flowers delivered and place them strategically around the house. If not, you can always step outside and see what bounty exists in your backyard or in nearby fields. Even just some daisies or ferns can add splashes of color and a vibrant sense of the natural world. Depending on the season you might also consider holly branches, berries, or evergreen clippings.
Upgrade the Cabinets (However You Can)
It’s easier said than done when it comes to upgrading your cabinetry. Of course, it’d be great to replace them, but that can be pricey. Plus you might not have time to do it. An easier solution would be to just find new doors and fronts and then paint everything so that it all matches. Same goes for dishwasher front panels and any other outward-facing surfaces. The more you can clean them up and give them a fresh perspective, the more likely they’ll impress would-be buyers.
Consider the Curb Appeal
We spend so much time worrying about what the interiors of the home look and feel like, it’s easy to forget to consider what’s going on outside. It doesn’t matter how great the home feels if people don’t want to stop and take a look when they drive by. They’ll just keep on driving. So make sure you give the exteriors of your property your full attention as well. Power-wash walkways, clean windows, mow the lawn, trim overgrowth, plant flowers, paint fences, and put some furniture on the porch. You want the scene to be serene and welcoming so that people want to step inside and find out more.
These tips will definitely help in the selling process of your home. Unfortunately, it does take time and money to get your home ready to sell. To avoid all the stress and expense, selling your home as-is to a real estate investor like Jamie Buys Houses could be your answer.
