Home Staging: How to Sell Your Property for Higher Price

Home staging is a secret weapon real estate agents (and sellers in general) use to maximise the interest in a home and make it more appealing to potential buyers. When people talk about home staging, they are talking about preparing a home for sale on the marketplace. This process is designed to showcase a home's best features and entice buyers to make an higher offer  - ideally making a profit for the seller.

Not everyone opts to stage a home - especially if it tends to be of low value, however if you choose to go down the staging route then it may be more advantageous when it comes to selling your home. Here are some tips for you to follow when staging your home in order to sell it for more money!

What is staging?

Home staging is a tool that draws on the fundamentals of interior design and is a form of merchandising and advertising. The purpose of staging  is to highlight a property in a way that seems natural and not forced. It's also used to showcase its best features.

Staging should not be confused with decorating as decoration in a home is about personal style and taste, whereas staging allows an apartment, for example, to be appealing to any potential buyer and not just those with the same taste as the owner.

The end goal of staging is to allow potential buyers to envision themselves in the property and therefore creating interest in it as a home as opposed to just another property they are viewing. Staging aims to show off the property´s best features while hiding any potential flaws in a way that is not to deceive the buyer but to show them that some things can be overlooked in favour of others. Staging helps turn certain spaces into interesting and usable places, as well as making the home look much better in photos that will be used to advertise the property.

Importance of staging

Buying a property is a significant investment. When you're selling it, you want to make sure you get the most return on your investment. Nobody wants their property to sit on the market for a long time and having to sell it at a lower price. This is where staging can come in and make a difference.

While many sellers and real estate agencies use staging as standard practice, for many this is often an an afterthought as there can be significant time and money involved.  However, it is well known fact that staging helps in selling a home faster so any time or financial expenditure can be outweighed by a quick sale that is hopefully above asking.

Usually the buyers are not just looking for a property. They are looking for their dream home. This is when staging comes in handy as the biggest impact of staging other than making a property "pretty," is making it appeal as an ideal home for a potential buyer. Using emotional marketing techniques such as staging, allows buyers to see themselves in this property and by doing so, may lead to a faster and more profitable sale for the seller - this is the importance of staging.

Another important factor of staging is that it is also a benefit to potential buyers as it allows them to see a home that does not need work done, they see a property that can be walked into and lived in. Without staging, buyers may see multiple problems and with problems comes deductions from offering prices and the more problems they see, the higher chance they may pass on the property completely.

The importance of staging is simple. It allows buyers to see a home rather than a structure. It allows them to see future and a dream, while also allowing sellers to showcase their home at its best and therefore (hopefully) lead to a payoff when it comes to offers.

Home staging tips

When it comes to home staging it is not always common to stage every room, however this will always be a more beneficial idea. The most staged rooms in a property are usually the living room, followed by the kitchen and then the bedroom and the dining room.

Obviously money and time are of high importance when it comes to staging and you must take this into consideration to the  asking price of your property and potential profit. However, if you stage even one room, you are doing yourself a favor. The most important thing is to determine how much staging is practical for you.

Employing certain techniques in as many rooms as possible can aid in the sale of your home and - depending on time and budget, can be done in almost all rooms. In general, there are some tips when it comes to staging, which are as follows.

Hire professionals

No matter what your budget, it's always good to consult with a professional stager as they will be able to help with staging ideas even if you do not want to spend a lot of money or time. Quite often, the real estate agents are the ones taking on that cost, but is still helps to consult a pro. They can do a walkthrough of your home and suggest improvements you can do yourself.  

Clean

Probably one of the most important things when it comes to not only staging a home, but selling a home. A clean home shows buyers you have taken care of the property and therefore they are not in for any surprises, should they buy.

It's important to clean every part of the property including floors, walls and even ceilings. Make sure all appliances are clean and that areas such as the bathroom and kitchen are spotless. If certain things in your home aren't new, when cleaning a property to stage the idea is to make them look new.

Declutter

Clutter is a major problem when trying to sell a home, so if you are staging a room or an entire property it is important to declutter. Clutter is a distraction and when a potential buyer is viewing a home such as an apartment they will be more focused on this rather than the home's features, which you are trying to showcase.

Another issue with clutter is that it can make a place feel like it is smaller and this would be the exact opposite of what you would want when selling a property.

Depersonalise

As we have previously said, buyers need to envision themselves in a property they are viewing which is why it is important to depersonalise a home when you are staging it. During viewings you can remove family photos, personal items and any type of keepsake that would distract the buyer from the "dream" they are seeing.

Clothes and personal products in rooms such as the bathroom should also be removed and all countertops and storage spaces should be as empty as possible.

Freshness

When staging it's a great idea to make sure that the home smells fresh. This means relying on your sense of smell as well as keeping it looking visually "fresh." Open the windows in every room to air it out, use neutral scented candles and make sure that any odours such as pets, food, dampness or anything is gone before showing a property. An old trick is to bake cookies or apples in the oven to help any potential buyers feel at home.

Using plants and flowers is another way you can keep the property looking visually fresh and these also have the added benefit of smelling great. Try not to use any type of flower or smell in general that is too strong as this can trigger allergies or asthma.

Clearly show purpose of spaces

When staging a home it is important to define the purpose of each room so that potential buyers can see how they can utilise every inch of a property. If you have a spare room, transform it into a home office. If you have a basement, transform it into a utilities  or games room.

The important thing is to show any potential buyers that every part of a property is usable space and even if they don't plan on using the rooms as you have staged them, they will still be able to see the potential in each room.

Walls

If you have your home decorated in your own personal taste, it is unlikely that a potential buyer will have the same taste. If you're lucky you'll already have your walls painted and decorated in a more neutral tone, however if you have wallpaper, for example, then you may have to consider removing it and instead opting for a fresh coat of paint.

Creating a "blank slate" for the walls is a good idea when staging as it will allow the potential buyers to create their own ideas for the walls should they purchase the property.

Flooring

Like walls and the rest of the home, the floor in your home should be simple and clean. If you have the budget, you could replace any carpet or linoleum with hardwood or wood-effect flooring. Real wood is, of course, the better option as it also adds value to your property however the most important thing is that the floor is not off putting or damaged as any potential buyer will see this as a major problem that they will have to take on.

Lighting

Lighting is extremely important in general, but even more so when it comes to staging, Take advantage of natural light by opening all curtains and blinds to showcase the space to any potential buyers. If you need to, add light fixtures to make your space look brighter and more welcoming. This can be done relatively cheaply.

The important thing with lighting is to make your home appear brighter and in doing so, bigger. If you don't need to replace anything then just make sure all of your lighting fixtures, switches, etc are clean.

Furniture

When staging, it is important that the furniture is on point. Make sure each piece is the right size for the room and be sure to not overdo it by adding too much. If a piece of furniture is too big for a room it will shrink that space whereas if it's too small, it will make the room feel bigger but colder so it is important that the furniture for a certain room is the correct furniture for that room.

If you're lucky you won't have to purchase new furniture to stage a room, however if you do then it is important not to buy cheap as this can put off any potential buyers. Add throw pillows and blankets to liven up any pieces of furniture as well as adding a pop of colour. Rearranging furniture is also a great idea as it can help make a room more spacious.

Opt for minimalism

Minimalism not only applies to furniture but it can also be very useful when staging a home. Overdoing furniture is a bad idea but so is furnishing a room as if you were going to be living there. The idea is to keep it simple and define the room with the necessary pieces of furniture that will give it a sense of home.

When it comes to decor, do so sparingly. If you are placing things on tables and shelves then keep it minimal and simple so that you can avoid personalising a room.

Fix any foundation issues

Foundation issues are your worst enemy when it comes to selling a home. When staging a property, if you can fix these then you should do so and if you can't then it is best to consult a professional or ensure to make any potential buyers aware.

Things such as cracks in the walls or ceiling will put off potential buyers as these can be indicative of bigger problems and, again, problems mean less money for the seller and more money the buyer has to put into the property and, in most cases, buyers won't take the risk.

Spruce up the exterior

First impressions are extremely important and when a potential buyer comes to view a property, the exterior will be the first thing they see. Staging an exterior can be simple or complicated depending on the property type but the most important thing is cleanliness.

If you have a residential home, then you may need to trim the grass, cut the hedges and so on, however if you are staging the exterior of an apartment this is much easier as it may just be as simple as painting a door or cleaning the entryway and stairwell.

Final touches

After you have successfully staged a property or room it is important that you have it viewing ready with a few last minute touches.  Simple things like opening a window for fresh air, filling a vase with fresh flowers or even lighting a few candles will make a great difference and maximise all of the effort you have put into staging the place.

Virtual Staging

An alternative to physical staging would be to stage a property virtually and therefore increase your chances of being seen as this can be put online for potential buyers from all around the world to see. This is relatively cheap and can even be done from your phone with apps such as Planner 5D.

Of course a buyer will eventually want to view the property in person but as they have already seen its potential then they would just have to see the blank slate in which they can create their dream.

Home staging increases your chances of selling your property faster and at a profit however it is important that it is done correctly. Whether you are staging one room or an entire home, it is vital that you do so with great care in order to maximise interest from any potential buyers.

If you chose a professional it can take the pressure off you.  However, if you want to do it alone then let us to help you. We hope this guide will be useful in helping you stage your home properly and sell it for money!