Do-It-Yourself Home Staging
Friday, December 16th, 2016
Home staging is a powerful tool in pulling in buyers and selling a home for the highest possible price. It is all about creating a memorable first impression that will stay with homebuyers when they sit down to think about the homes they have visited. Professional home stagers do an excellent job in preparing properties to show, the added expense often brings a stronger offer.
Professional stagers may replace your furniture with updated trendy pieces that catch the eye of buyers. That being said… Here are a few do-it-yourself tips for effective staging – guaranteed to make your house stand out!
Let Your Light Shine
Buyers love homes that permit generous flow of natural light. Pull back all curtains and window coverings and update light fixtures and lamps with newer, brighter, more energy-efficient bulbs. Turn on all the lights for open houses and showings. You don’t want buyers to think you are trying to hide anything.
Clean and De-Clutter
After a thorough cleaning of the house (inside and out) including closets, garages and storage spaces, conduct an exhaustive de-cluttering of the entire home. This does not only mean putting away personal items, memorabilia and photos. All extraneous furnishings should be removed also. The furniture that remains should be arranged in groupings to permit easy flow of traffic through the home. Remember that the goal is to create a blank palate so would-be buyers can envision the home as their own. Arrange for off-site storage of the extra belongings with a friend or at a storage facility. Although it is a lot of work, the good news is that you will already be half packed when your house sells and it is time to move.
Send Your Pets on a Much-Needed Vacation
We know that you love your pets and think of them as members of the family, but the cold, hard truth is that everyone does not love them the same way you do. If possible, make arrangements for pets to be out of the home during open houses and showings. Many potential buyers are allergic or uncomfortable around animals and there is no bigger turn-off to buyers than unpleasant pet odors.
Focus on Curb Appeal
Make sure the lawn is cut and the bushes are trimmed. Remove all dead flowers and then focus on the front entryway. A fresh coat of paint on the front door framed with potted plants and flowers will impress buyers right away. Do everything you can to make the home seem warm and welcoming.
Accentuate the Positive
Choose a room or focal point in your home that ranks among its best features and spend a little extra time and energy in staging that area. It may be a fireplace or a state-of-the-art kitchen or an enchanting outdoor living space. Remember what it was that made you fall in love with your home and then do everything you can to make sure buyers notice.
Home staging is all about taking control of that all-important first impression that buyers have upon walking into your home. Follow these tips, take control and stage your home to sell!
Are you looking to Sell or Buy a home in Calgary and need someone who won’t rest until you’ve found your dream home or until your home is sold? I’ll work hard to earn your trust and to deliver exactly what you need. Contact me at 403-589-0004 or at TheHowardTeam.net.
About Bryon Howard
Bryon Howard and his team of Calgary real estate professionals sell an average of two homes a week. He is a member of the MLS Million Point Club, which ranks him roughly in the top 1% of productive realtors in Calgary. His aim is not just to please clients but to help them buy/sell a home in Calgary at the best price, in the shortest time, and with the least hassle. He is a member of the RE/MAX House of Real Estate that leads in the Canadian market. Learn more about Bryon at TheHowardTeam.net.
