Home Staging: To Do or Not to Do?
Strategically staging your home is a sure-fire way to help your home sell faster at the best possible price. Consider the following staging do’s and don’ts for maximum benefit:
Do This…
- Hang a mirror on the wall opposite the front door – or in a location close to the front door – so that prospective buyers can ‘see themselves’ in your home.
- De-personalize and add breathing room by removing family photos, trophies, souvenirs and children’s artwork. Clean out drawers so they’re no more than 30-percent full.
- Place only a few pieces of furniture in each room and pull them away from the walls to make the room look bigger.
- While neutrals are the de facto palette when selling your home, add a couple of pops of color to an accent wall or cabinets to bring depth and personality to your home.
- Highlight tech and green features. Today’s homebuyers are keeping an eye out for smart-home features and green-friendly elements, such as smartphone-controlled thermostats and energy-saving appliances.
Not This!
- Don’t crowd a room with too-large furniture. If you crammed a king-size bed into your not-so-king-size bedroom, replace it with a queen.
- Don’t try to mask unpleasant odors with perfumed candles or baked goods in the oven. Have a professional cleaner get to the root of pet smells and musty scents.
- Don’t use colors randomly. Use a variety of neutral colors that flow nicely from one room to the next.
- Don’t confuse a room’s purpose. Make sure every room’s primary function is obvious, i.e., a bedroom should look like a bedroom, not a home office.
- Don’t neglect your home’s exterior. Even if you’re listing your home in the middle of a dreary winter, make sure porches and patios are neat and tastefully accented with outdoor furniture and planters.