What is Your Home Worth?

Judy Lindsay Team News

Staging: A Sure-Fire way to Sell your Home

September 20th, 2017

When a buyer walks up to your home, it takes only seconds for them to know they're interested or if they keep walking. By keeping your home clean, fresh, and appealing, you'll keep buyers interested and wanting more. Interest is piqued from the very moment they drive up - this means that curb appeal needs to be top notch. Moving inside, staging can change the ambiance of the home, making it feel more welcoming.  If your home is empty (or being emptied out), adding in neutral and sleek furnishings can help shape a buyers mind and help them envision themselves in your home. Buyers can have a hard time seeing the true value of a property if it’s covered in clutter, bad paint jobs, or dingy furniture. Get your home sold by using these 8 tips:

 
1. Rid yourself of Clutter
Good for your peace of mind and the buyers. Clutter takes the buyers' eyes off  of the prize: your home. When a home is cluttered, the first thing you see is the clutter, not the beautiful hardwoods, the open-concept living, or the magnificent kitchen counters underneath dishes, books, toaster, and coffee maker. The same as the feeling you get when your home is clean, to a buyers' mind, a clean home is one they want to live in. 

2. Clean!
It's one thing to get rid of the clutter, but if your home is still dirty, chances are a buyer is going to walk away. Keep all areas clean, show-home clean. Your home may be clean and tidy, but by upping it to pristine levels, it will show better. This means that every counter, floor, every surface, is to be wiped and shined. The same goes for the bedroom; you'd be surprised at how this two-minute cleaning job will affect the feelings towards your home. Even if you’re the type to roll out in the morning and roll into it at night, keep it neatly made up until after the home has sold.

3. Furniture Arrangements
Keeping furniture against the wall seems like it will make the place feel bigger - after-all, you're using dead space, right? But, it can make a small room feel even smaller. If possible, make groupings with your furniture that is still easily accessible, to make the room feel more open and welcoming. 

4. Paint
Fresh paint goes a long way. Fill in any nicks and cracks to make the place feel fresh and new. If you have dated furniture (because who doesn’t have a couch from their grandma still sitting around?), neutral colours will help keep the room seem less….over. Now is not the time to go bold and dramatic - although it may look good to you, it will only look good to buyers with the same taste as you. Keep it neutral, and if you're dying for colour, use accents such as throw pillows or bright candles and lamps to spruce up the room. 

5. Fresh Flowers
Flowers are a welcoming sight for anyone walking into the home. A large vase of freshly cut flowers will be the focal point for buyers the moment they step into the house, putting them into a happier mood - whether or not they realize it right away. Fresh flowers on the dining room table or coffee table (or both!) can make the home feel inviting. 

6. Make Sure There’s Plenty of Light
Dark and dingy does not make a good house sale. Make sure there’s plenty of warm lighting in your rooms. Buy a table lamp or two (Wal-Mart and IKEA have great selections that are cheap and versatile in every room) to bring a darker space to life. Great lighting can highlight the good parts of a room, showcasing what the home really has to offer.

7. The Outside Counts, too!
The inside of your home may look polished and perfect, but if the grass needs cutting, the sidewalks shoveled, or there’s garbage/toys littered everywhere, it will still put the buyer off. Light landscaping that will spruce up the place is a great way to make your home more inviting. Try planting some flowers or hang a wreath on your door to spruce up the place. Make sure that there is adequate lighting for those who are viewing your home later in the evenings, especially when it comes to the winter months. Not only will it make it easier for those getting around your home, but it will also show what a wonderful yard you have (even in the dead of night or under piles of snow). 

8. Hire a Professional
Even if it’s just a consultation to tell you what to do with what furniture, what to paint, or what to take out or move, hiring a professional can make things easier on you and get that job done quicker and without stress.