Home Staging (also known as House Staging, Real Estate Staging and Property Styling) is the art of decorating a home to sell quickly and for more money on the real estate market.
Home stagers set the stage for potential home buyers to imagine how they could live in a property and make it their home.
This can be as “simple” as rearranging what the home seller already has. Or it can include bringing in new furniture, accessories and art to make the home appeal to more buyers.
There are many times that it is worth the investment of bringing in a professional stager. But if that is not in your budget, there are some simple things to stay aware of if you want to put your best foot forward.
These photos from recent, local listings illustrate several pitfalls to avoid when prepping your house on the market.
Problem One - Overcrowded rooms
The size of the bed, the overloaded bookshelves and numerous framed pictures make this room feel claustrophobic.
We love to be surrounded by our favorite belongings that make us feel comfortable in our own unique way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
However, when it comes time to sell, it is important to step back and make space for prospective buyers to imagine what their lives will look like in the rooms of your house.
In the example above, it would have been better to remove the oversized bed and to replace it with something more to the scale of the room. Taking out the smaller pieces of furniture around the perimeter of the room would also give a much greater sense of the space.
Problem Two - Clutter
Clutter is inevitable in a home. We all live busy lives and, probably, have more things in our homes than we should. The fact is that many buyers are looking for houses precisely because they have outgrown their current home and need more space for their possessions.
The last thing that they want to see when visiting houses is the very same clutter problem that they are trying to escape.
In the example above, the clutter dominates the image. It is hard to appreciate the attractive mantel around the fireplace and the pretty arched opening to the dining room when our eyes are distracted by the dying vegetation, stacks of paper and unopened packages. Imagine how much more appealing this room would be with the simple removal of the clutter.
Problem Three - Leaving behind a few old furnishings
While this room does not suffer from the overcrowded feeling of the first example, it is simply not inviting.
Sellers often leave a few furnishings like this because they don't want them anymore and they are burdensome to remove. The problem is that in a room this empty our focus is drawn almost exclusively to the remaining furniture pieces.
It would look much more appealing if the room were completely empty. It is truly worth paying for someone to remove such furnishings before putting the house on the market.
Free Resource!
Click here for your own copy of the Home Sale Pre-market Checklist.
I created this helpful resource to help you prepare your house for the market. It contains helpful reminders about:
landscaping
interior rooms
windows, doors and wood trim
roof
kitchen/bathrooms/basement
Ready to sell?
Contact me today at tbeauchard@gmail.com or 240-413-4141 to talk about your plans for today and your plans for the future. We can discuss your current home value and the value of homes in your immediate vicinity. That kind of information can really increase your confidence as you make your decisions.
Who am I and how can I help you?
I'm Tamara Beauchard - realtor, architect and right-fit specialist
As a top-performing realtor with Re/Max Professionals, I handled nearly $12 million in real estate transactions this past year. I stay on top of the market to ensure that you are confident about the price and the process from our first meeting to the settlement table. You have an architect on your side! My experience in the design and construction industry means that we can talk about renovations and improvements that will both beautify your home and improve it's resale value.
I'm a right-fit specialist who provides consulting services for people who are not ready to buy or sell right now, but need advice on where to start with renovating or downsizing.
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