Did you know that staged homes will stay on the market for 90% less time than unstaged homes?
So if you want to sell your home fast, you might want to learn how to stage. The approaches can range from cheap modifications to large-scale renovations, and as long as you’re strategic about the process, you could walk away with a lot more money.
We’re here to walk you through the highlights. Here are our top tips for staging your home to sell.
1. Focus on the Kitchen
Have you ever heard that “kitchens sell homes”?
Well, if you haven’t, you’ve heard it now. Kitchens are often the main selling point of homes, so if you’re wondering how to sell your house fast for top dollar, zeroing in on the kitchen is a good bet.
Start by cleaning off any grime or stains. You’ll want your appliances to look not only clean but as new as possible.
Then you can get into the “look” of the room, making sure the colors are inviting and the furniture placement leaves the room looking spacious. And for tips on an inviting aroma, keep reading.
2. That Fresh-Baked Cookie Smell
People often associate home shopping with the delicious smell of fresh-baked cookies. While you might think it’s cheesy (or…chocolatey), we’re here to tell you that it’s actually a good idea.
When you’re staging your home, what you should be trying to do is make sure your home viewers have a warm, pleasant experience looking around the house. The smell of cookies or any other well-liked scent can add to the good feelings.
You can accomplish this in a few ways. First, you can actually bake cookies in your oven before the potential buyers arrive. You can get some pre-made cookie dough squares or tubes—this way, all you’ll need to do is break off a few pieces, stick them on a tray, and turn the oven on.
And if this sounds like too much work, there are plenty of candles and scent sprays out there that can evoke the smells of cookies, cinnamon, vanilla, and more! Whatever your favorite homemade baked good is, chances are you’ll be able to find a candle with that exact aroma.
3. Maximize the Power of the Sun
When you’re trying to figure out lighting for your staged home, you should know that the natural light from the sun is one of the most attractive and pleasant sources of light possible.
While it might not be possible to change how much sunlight your house gets, you can move things around to make sure you maximize the light you do get. Open all your curtains and blinds, move furniture that’s blocking the sun’s rays, and try to go with light colors wherever possible so they’ll reflect the sunlight.
For example, if you’re getting some new bedding, towels, or shower curtains for your staged home, white is a great choice. Any light from the sun will reflect well off of white items, bouncing the sunlight around the room.
4. Consider the Exterior
The first thing people will see when they pull up to your home is the outside of the house. This might be an afterthought to you as you’re staging your house, but it shouldn’t be. The outside of the home is going to be your house’s first impression, so make sure it’s a great one.
If you’ve got a bit of time and money on your hands, you could plant some beautiful vegetation around the front of your house. And if not, just make sure you deal with any aesthetic damage (like chipped paint, stains, and seemingly broken parts) before the viewers arrive.
Even if your home’s exterior works fine, you’ll want to go the extra mile to really show that it’s in top shape. If anything looks off, you could reassure potential buyers that it’s not a big deal. But if possible, you’ll want to stop the idea of damage from even entering their minds.
5. Staging Your Home to Sell Doesn’t Have to Be Costly
You might think a proper staging involves renovations, buying new home items, and major repairs. But sometimes going overboard will mean you sink more money into the staging process than the extra profit you’ll make anyway.
Renovations can be a good idea, but if you’re on a budget, start with the low- or no-cost steps. Move furniture around to let in the light, get rid of lots of your things (see the next section for more on that), and do a deep clean. You can also accomplish lots of repairs by yourself at low cost—like fixing your grout or plugging small holes in the walls.
Get creative and see what DIY projects are out there. Just because a repair seems expensive doesn’t mean it’s out of your reach.
6. Lose What You Don’t Need
Cleaning your home before showing it off to prospective buyers is a no-brainer. But one great de-cluttering approach you may not have prioritized is getting rid of things you don’t need.
If you’re wracking your brain trying to figure out how to store all your knick-knacks in a neat way, we’re here to say you don’t need to go through this. Think about whether you really need everything that’s in the room. Fewer things in the room will make the area look more spacious anyway.
If you’re moving anyway, this is an especially wise piece of advice. Lots of people shed the things they don’t want to take with them when they move, and this could be the extra push toward what you’re inevitably going to want to do.
And if there are certain items you just can’t part with, pack them up so they’re ready to go along with the move (and not taking up space in the staged home).
7. Go Overboard on Cleaning for the Bathroom
Prospective buyers won’t just be weirded out by bathroom stains—there’s a real fear attached. Bathrooms are where cleanliness is most important and where lots of things can go wrong over the course of a house’s lifetime.
So you’ll want to make sure your bathroom is sparkling. There are lots of products on the market you can get, from steam cleaners to tile whitening tools, to make sure everything looks sterile. Your diligence will be rewarded.
Happy Staging!
Staging your home to sell can actually be a fun process if you know what you’re doing. So go ahead and treat your house like a show pony! Highlight its best aspects and make smart changes to keep it looking its best. And if you’re looking for more tips on home design, check out our other articles!
