Are you looking to sell your home? Statistics show that homes in the United States stay on the market for approximately 65 days. However, you can find a willing buyer in less time by staging your home. Staging involves updating and presenting your home in a more attractive manner so it appeals to prospective buyers. Follow these five staging tips to get your home off the market and into the hands of a buyer.
#1) De-Personalize It
When staging your home, you need to remove all -- or at least most -- personal effects, including family photographs, trophies, etc. "De-personalizing" it helps buyers focus on the home itself instead of your personal effects. Of course, you should put up something in place of these personal items, such as paintings and artwork
#2) Clean the Exterior
A clean exterior is essential when selling a home. If the siding is dirty and covered with grime, it will undoubtedly turn some buyers away. Thankfully, you can clean up your home's exterior in just a few easy steps using a pressure washer. Even if you don't own a pressure washer, you can rent one from your local home improvement store. Or if this isn't an option, hire a professional to pressure wash it for you. The cost of professional pressure washing is a small price to pay for the value it adds to your home.
#3) Hide the Boxes
Being that most people who sell their home are also looking to move, they probably have boxes, lots of boxes. While stuffing a room full of boxes may seem harmless enough, it creates a negative image for buyers and discourages them from buying your home. Therefore, it's recommended that you hide the boxes by placing them in the attic or renting a self-storage unit.
#4) Touch Up the Paint
Another staging tip is to touch up your home with a fresh coat of paint. You don't have to repaint every room in your home; just focus on the key areas like the living room, master bedroom and master bathroom. With a fresh coat of paint, your home will look more attractive and appealing to buyers -- and that can help you score a contract sooner rather than later.
#5) Rearrange the Furniture
Finally, try rearranging your furniture to create a more attractive living space. Symmetrical furniture arrangements tend to yield the greatest effect for staging. With that said, however, you may want to remove some pieces from your home. If a piece furniture doesn't flow with the rest, it's probably a good idea to remove it. Alternatively, you should also remove furniture that's shows visible signs of wear (e.g. stains or torn fabric).