The presentation is everything. The way you present your home to prospective buyers is key to attaining the highest possible price, as buyers will remember how the home makes them feel, which is largely due to first impressions.
Typically, homes are staged for listing and showing—meaning furniture and décor are changed to create a space buyer will want to live in.
Wondering what you should remove and how you should change your home to prepare it for buyers? Here are the main messages you should have in mind:
- Everything you do should increase the number of potential bidders and make the property more sellable.
- Your home staging should appeal to the majority of possible buyers in your market.
Consider the following tips with those two ideas in mind:
Keep it neutral and impersonal
If you’re a person who likes bright colours or statement furniture, it’s often best to neutralize it before you take listing photos and show your house to the public.
You want potential buyers to remember the home, not a red room or an oversized couch. People have negative associations with certain colours; rather than risking it, be sure to paint rooms neutral colours, remove any controversial art, and fill rooms with pieces that allow buyers to envision their own furniture in the space. You want to treat the space as belonging to no one, rather than belonging to you.
De-clutter space
Staging a home always begins with the removal of items rather than putting in new ones. Well before you plan to list your home, start going room by room, removing clutter. If it helps, bring in friends and family to identify what is actually cluttering up your home; you may not notice, since you live with your stuff every day.
Pets can also pose a selling problem. Many people have allergies to dogs or cats, or simply don’t like them and their associated odours. You should find your furry friends another home while you’re showing your property, and thoroughly remove any pet hair and paraphernalia you can.
Furnish to show potential
While home staging, be sure to buy furniture that allows the room to breathe. A spacious-yet-furnished area will give buyers ideas on how they could fill that space. For example, awkward areas can be furnished to show that they can be used efficiently—as offices, mudroom areas, etc. You want the options to stay in the minds of potential buyers; the more layout options in a home, the more likely buyers will consider your home as a viable option for them.
Everything should come back to increased value
You want buyers to believe your home has the highest possible value. Use modern furnishings and designs, (but beware of being too futuristic). Clean lines and bright lights increase the perceived size of rooms.
It’s also important to match the design of the neighbourhood, especially on the exterior of the house. If homes are stately and neutral in the area, having a purple home with a green door will decrease the value in buyers’ minds, whereas those colours in a different neighbourhood full of colour will fit right in.
Source: Zoocasa
