Why You Need to Stage Your Home (and How to Do It)

Staging your home before buyers come in to see it has delivered proven results. Typically, most real estate professionals will agree that a little strategic planning of how a room is set up can make a huge difference in that valuable first impression, and even generate better offers.

If you are still not convinced that it is worth your effort to clear out unnecessary items, excess or large furniture, and all of your clutter, think again. Starting with a clean slate, homeowners who keep only a few items in each room and make it look like it could be anybody’s home (think model home set-up) typically sell their homes faster and often for more than anticipated.

Staging correctly will:

1. Show the room’s purpose.
2. Show the room’s scale (for example, a huge sectional sofa may make the room feel smaller in scale versus a small sofa and loveseat.).
3. Make everything feel warm, open and welcoming, while allowing the buyers to picture the space as their own (nothing in the room is too personalized).

Staging can be Simple

You don’t have to make your home look like it’s on HGTV – though that would be ideal! But you should clear out each room so that its true purpose, size, and beauty can shine through.

Here’s how:

1. Remove clutter. Pack away personalized décor, family photos, and any extra large pieces of furniture. Clean out junk mail and stacks of magazines. Find the top of every table and countertop in your home.
2. Clean everything top to bottom. Make hardwood floors shine, and shampoo carpets. Make certain the house smells clean but not masked by perfume.
3. Reduce the amount of furniture in each room to a minimum, and allow there to be easy walking space.
4. Set the dining table with a basic setting, as though dinner will be ready soon. It will feel more like home.
5. Buy luxurious bath towels just for showings. Put away all cosmetics and medications. Place spa candles near the bathtub. Make your bathroom seem as fresh and luxurious as possible.
6. Make all beds and add a couple of colorful throw pillows. Open curtains and shades to brighten the room.
7. Fresh flowers placed in a vase on the kitchen island or entry table add a fresh burst of color and make the home welcoming.

Ask your real estate professional for a few staging tips about what would make each room of your house show better to sell. Staging can be simple enough to do, and it will make your home more appealing to buyers. If they can easily see the true beauty and potential of each room, they are more likely to place an offer.