As overwhelming as it can be to look at all the to-do’s before listing, it’s every seller’s nightmare to have a property that sits on the market for a long time. With the help of an active and engaged Realtor and perhaps a professional stager, you can calm these fears and easily turn your house into a home ready for brand new owners. Here are seven tips from our team to help you get your home staged for a quick sale!
Concentrate on the curb.
Your curb appeal refers to the first impression your potential buyers will notice and it’s an important aspect to focus on. Try to drive up to your home with fresh eyes and focus on the areas that may need some work or would potentially turn people off from the get-go. Ask yourself if there are some simple clean-up projects or landscaping options you could easily upgrade with a quick trip to the store. Something as simple as brand new mulch, a couple of flower pots or an afternoon of pulling weeds and trimming trees can really bring your curb appeal back to life ahead of listing.
Get the grime next.
Keeping your home clean during the viewing process can be challenging, especially if you have a young family you’re planning to move. It’s always a good idea to start with getting a deep cleaning service in to really give your place a good once-over before you list. We like to suggest you include a cleaning budget when you look at listing your property and pre-book a cleaning service for each week before your planned open houses too. This will take the stress off you and ensure things are always ready for your potential buyers to view your home.
Set the table for a taste.
You’ll want potential buyers to walk in and immediately imagine themselves living in your listed home. Setting the table like you would if you were hosting your favourite people for dinner is a good way to give them a taste of what it would be like to sit in the space with their own family or friends. Keep things simple, while adding touches of seasonal details. Put out settings and napkins and give it an element of lived-in with pre-burned candles and a fragrance that’s welcoming but not overpowering.
Simple yet stated.
When it comes to staging, it’s all about striking a fine balance between lived-in and bringing a refined touch to various personal elements in the home. Replacing family photo gallery walls with simple and symmetrical art-work, for example, can elevate a room and allow your potential buyer to really imagine their own memories on the wall.
Clean out the closets.
Clean them up and remove unnecessary items! We understand you may feel like stashing away all your belongings you want unseen, but try to refrain. Staging the closets and storage space helps show potential buyers the available space for their belongings and can really close the gap between a maybe and a “must sign right now” viewing. If you can pack a few boxes away in the garage or the basement it can really help keep up an organized look.
Be brutal with the bathroom.
You know that feeling you get when you walk into a spotless hotel bathroom? Try to recreate that luxurious calming feeling for buyers who enter your bathroom at home. Keep all accents really neutral and ensure you remove any and all personal items from the cabinets and window sills. Greenery is always a good idea in a washroom and fresh hand soaps in beautiful bottles and clean folded towels go a long way to sell a feeling of sophistication.
Don’t overlook the outdoors.
Be sure to maximise any outdoor space you have. Even if it’s a small little space, style and stage it to give your buyers a feel for your neighbourhood. Think about who you could imagine living in your home and what they would most like to do at the end of a long day and stage around that. If you have a beautiful big yard, consider staging it for maximum evening enjoyment. If you’re listing at a seasonal time like during the fall, add cozy throws to the backs of outdoor chairs and encourage your buyers to really believe they could live there in a second.
We hope these staging tips help you get started on getting your home ready to hit the market. Contact our team if you would like to talk through some more intensive staging suggestions or have any questions whatsoever. We would love to get you listed, staged simply and sold quickly!