Selling a home can be a stressful process and Susan Salisbury, top selling agent with Blanchard and Calhoun Real Estate Company, strives to make the experience as seamless as possible for sellers and buyers. For sellers, one vital tip for setting up a successful sale is home staging.
“Home Staging is the process of preparing your home for sale so it appeals to the most buyers and will get the highest sale price with the fewest days on the market,” explains Susan. “It is an important part of preparing the home for sale and the time and money spent to make a home look its most desirable will help you get your house sold quickly.”
According to Susan, there are 10 benefits of home staging:
1. Faster sale
2. Higher sale price
3. Appeal to a wider audience
4. Highlight the home’s best features
5. Minimize flaws
6. Create a positive first impression
7. Increase online appeal
8. Demonstrate the potential of the home
9. Justify the asking price
10. Reduce buyer’s stress
To help clients with staging, Susan relies on the expert advice of Ginger Mahoney of Design Dilemma. “Professional staging can emphasize the best aspects of your home, such as spacious rooms, natural light, and architectural details,” shares Susan. “Small improvements can give the home an attractive updated look. Ginger is very practical and effective in doing this in a cost-efficient way.”
Pulling from her more than twenty years of experience in the real estate industry, Susan presents 10 ways to effectively stage a home:
1. Declutter and depersonalize
Remove all the personal items, family photos, excess belongings, and keep the decor very simple and neutral. This helps the buyers to envision themselves in the space.
2. Deep cleaning
Ensure every part of the home is spotless, paying special attention to kitchens, bathrooms, windows, and carpet. A clean home with a light, pleasant fragrance gives the impression of being well maintained.
3. Enhance curb appeal
Mowing the lawn, trimming bushes and flowers, and ensuring the front entrance is welcoming with a fresh doormat and a potted plant creates a great first impression, which is important.
4. Neutralize paint colors
Neutral tones like beige, gray, or soft white create the feeling of a blank canvas while bold colors can be off-putting to some buyers.
5. Rearrange furniture and remove excess furniture
Reduce and rearrange furniture to maximize space and create a flow that highlights the purpose of the room.
6. Add inviting touches
Placing flowers, bowls of fruit, and a stylish book on a coffee table adds to the home's feel of being warm and inviting.
7. Optimized lighting
Ensure all rooms are well lit by opening curtains and blinds to let natural light in and using lamps and overhead lights to brighten dark areas. Use uniform color, style, and high wattage bulbs for continuity.
8. Focus on key rooms
Concentrate staging on the most important rooms which are the living room, kitchen, primary bedroom, and bathrooms. These are the rooms that can make or break a sale.
9. Create a lifestyle setting
Stage areas to suggest a lifestyle such as the dining table with attractive place settings or create a cozy reading nook with a comfy chair and good book.
10. Make repairs
Address any visible issues such as leaky faucets, cracked tiles, and scuffed floors. These repairs can prevent potential buyers from thinking there are larger hidden problems.
According to Susan, following these staging tips will reduce the buyer’s stress and make the home feel move-in ready. “This can be a significant selling point for many buyers who want an uncomplicated move,” she shares. “By staging your home, you create an inviting, appealing environment that can lead to a faster sale and a better offer.”
For more information on how Susan can assist you with real estate transactions, email SSalisbury@blanchardandcalhoun.com or call 317-847-7216 or 706-868-1000.