15 Home Staging Secrets for Sellers

One common issue sellers seem to run into is figuring out how to stage their home to sell. It isn’t always clear how much time, energy, or money should be put into it. If you’re thinking of doing more substantial renovations, the only rooms you should focus on are bathrooms and kitchens. Anything other than that is simply going to be a waste of time and money.

That being said, you don’t need to spend a fortune to stage your home properly. Your main goal is to make sure potential buyers have a positive emotional connection as they walk through the home. Here are 15 simple home staging tips that won’t break the bank, but are guaranteed to make a big difference!

1. Reduce clutter

Ever heard the saying, “less is more”? Keep this in mind when staging your home. If you have too much clutter laying around, it can turn off buyers and can make a room look smaller than it actually is. Remove any large pieces of furniture that take up too much space and limit decorations to only a few things here and there.

2. Highlight the home’s best assets

Is there a fireplace? Are there any built-in cabinets? Is there an impressive view out any of the windows? If you answered “Yes” to any of these, make sure you’re highlighting these features to interested buyers as they walk through your home. Buyers want to see what makes this home unique from all of the other properties they’ve looked at.

3. Freshen it up

Keep it fresh with air fresheners, fresh flowers on the table, or a bowl of colorful fruit to add to the positive emotional connection you’re trying to create with buyers and the home. If using air fresheners, use a subtle or subdued scent.

4. Make any necessary repairs

If there are repairs that you know are going to need to be done to the home, make sure you have them done before potential buyers walk through your home. You wouldn’t want someone to notice a repair that needs to be done, and then not be able to focus on anything else they see the rest of the property tour.

5. Make sure rooms are well lit

Make sure there are enough lamps and pendants to brighten up each room, especially if there aren’t many windows.

6. Remove personal items

Remove or hide any family photos, calendars, refrigerator magnets, toiletries or pet products so it gives off the impression of a “clean slate” to the interested buyer.

7. Keep the master bedroom neutral

Don’t make the master bedroom too feminine or masculine. You want a nice neutral decor that both genders can appreciate.

8. Tone down bold colors

If you have a wall color or furniture item with an extremely bold color that may be distracting to buyers, remove it or hide it so it doesn’t take away from the rest of the home.

9. Add artwork to bare walls

Bare walls can be a major turn-off to potential buyers, so give any room with empty walls a little character by adding artwork.

10. Update kitchen hardware

Kitchen hardware is one of the simplest things you can do that doesn’t cost a ton of money and makes a huge difference. Your kitchen can have an entirely new look just by updating the cabinets and adding new hardware.

11. Curb appeal is vital

When you pull up to the front of the house, does it look inviting? Add flowers, potted plants, hanging baskets, or outdoor furniture to make the front of the house look as inviting as possible. Make sure the lawn has been recently manicured. Once you win buyers over with that first impression, they’ll be clamoring to see what’s inside.

12. Keep it bright and airy

Buyers don’t want to see a dark and depressing room. Keep all the curtains and blinds open to let in as much light as possible.

13. Keep pets out, if possible

You don’t want any pets running around your house while prospective buyers are walking through it. Even if the person is a dog lover, it can be distracting for the interested buyer and for the seller. Take your pets to a friend’s house, a kennel, or even just keep them in the backyard or out of the house.

14. Give every room a purpose

Buyers don’t like seeing extra rooms that are empty or without a purpose. Make sure every room is given a purpose, even if all you do is add an inexpensive desk and chair and then call it an office.

15. Keep storage spaces organized

Storage space is a huge selling feature for today’s buyers. As prospective buyers walk through your home, they will probably want to look in closets and cabinets to see how much storage space is available. Make sure the shelves are organized and the closet isn’t bursting at the seams so when they open the doors they can see how much storage they will have.

VHT Studios also offers virtual staging for vacant homes as a way for potential buyers to visualize how the home would look furnished. To learn more about VHT Studios and the photography services we provide, visit VHT.com.

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