How to stage your home for sale

Making the effort to stage your home for sale can have a significant impact on price and time spent on the market. Most real estate agents recommend at least some degree of staging prior to inspections, and certainly auctions. The reality is that people make decisions emotionally, then find ways to rationalise it intellectually. Having potential buyers fall in love with your home through effective presentation can be a powerful influence to purchase.

Staging your home for sale doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise – here are a few cost effective tips:

 Furniture Fix

Remove and store unnecessary furniture when putting your home on the market. The remaining pieces should be proportional to the room they’re in. In living areas arrange the furniture in a manner that would encourage conversation. Furniture doesn’t have to always be against a wall, place strategically to create a sense of flow.

Light It Up.

Turn all your lights on just prior to an inspection, no matter what sort of day it is outside. You should also think about utilising table lamps and other accent lighting.

Declutter

Go through your whole house and get rid of everything that doesn’t need to be there. This goes for all possessions, not just furniture. A buyer shouldn’t have to process too many objects in a room, so keep surfaces – especially benchtops – clear except for a few strategically placed items. Minimise the artwork and memorabilia. Key pieces of art can be striking and very effective, but anything that’s superfluous should go. Having your memories and loved ones on display can detract from a buyer imaging the house as their own.

Paint, Neutrally

Similarly to the point about photos, neutral tones throughout the house helps a potential purchaser more easily project their own style and taste onto your home. Some real estate insiders believe that particular colours, such as neutral creams and linens, are more likely to inspire an offer. Even though you should keep the walls and ceiling neutral you can add pops of colour with furniture and accessories.

Taking the time to think about how your home is presented to buyers is crucial. It could mean thousands of dollars and even the difference making the sale or not making the sale. Remember, you only get one chance at a first impression.

*Chat to the experts at Wilson Storage about how to easily store furniture and other belongings during the process of selling your home.