Suggestions for Staging Your house Yourself

So you have made a decision to sell your home. But while you’re getting ready for this next chapter in life, keep some of your attention and energy on the significance of preparing your home to outshine all others out there. Keeping your home up for sale in the shortest amount of time, receiving your asking price and having an all-around flawless sale can be obtainable if you properly prepare this (huge) item that you’re about to sell. We oooh and ahhh over those homes which are tidy, clean, fresh, new, well-taken care of and designed with current treads, textures and colors. It’s time to turn that lens on your home. Set your Realtor up for success! Give them a product they’re thrilled to sell because you’ve properly prepared your home to go on the market. Listed below are our suggestions to ensure that success.

Suggestions for Staging Your house Yourself

1. Emphasize the concept of move-in ready
A neutral palette (no matter how boring you may think it is actually) will almost always be a timeless choice in terms of paint, furniture and window coverings. And you don’t need to be a professional interior designer to arrange things inside your home – visit some model homes in your area and take note of how they’re staged. Simple DIY projects go a long way.

2. Declutter and depersonalize
Possible buyers want to see themselves in your home and want to envision how they could make it theirs. Simplify spaces, including entryways, by removing everyday items like TV remotes, children’s school work, piles of laundry, to-do lists on the fridge, personal photos, excessive amounts of pet toys, etc. Clean out closets and start boxing up items. When you know for certain that you will be moving, why don’t you get a head start with your packing anyway? Clean, well-organized and minimal closets showcase space potential, not your personal items. Adding fresh flowers, plug-in air fresheners, a foyer table, simple décor as well as a nice rug can provide buyers that well-needed hug once they enter your house!

3. Appeal to the senses
Walk your house and ask yourself (or other people), “What do you see, smell, touch and hear?” Deep clean your home or hire a professional cleaners to make it sparkle – it provides buyers the impression the home has been well taken care of. For those who have pets, consider confining them to one area of the house while your home is on the market. Barking dogs (or chirping smoke detectors) can hurry a prospective buyer along during a showing. Consider leaving on some instrumental music during open houses to appeal to your buyers’ ears. Sticky floors, grimy door handles or filthy light switches never feel good to the touch. Cleaning these surfaces goes a long way.

4. Eliminate the eyesores
Look around your house and ask yourself these questions: “Would I buy this home today? Do I like the overall style? Is my house dated? Is my backyard a sanctuary for the family?” The answers to these questions can help you identify the eyesores. Look for items in your house that are dated, have harsh patterns or edgy colors, items too small to fill a wall or items too large on a small one. Styles that clash with one another, aged wallpaper, broken things you can’t repair, rusted car parts or clutter in your yard or patios all create eyesores. It’s better to have an empty wall, an empty room, or nothing “period”, than something that doesn’t work for the space or is unappealing. Consider stopping by your local bookstore to gain some inspiration in the Design Magazines section or look online at your favorite stores and see what styles and trends they’re featuring. Then mirror your home after the current ones you like.

5. Consider using the checklist

Exterior Suggestions:
– Grass is cut, edged, and appears healthy
– Weeds are pulled
– Remove any dead bushes or trees
– Add simple flowers or wild grasses on patios and porches.
– House itself is cleaned and/or power washed.
– Toys, yard hoses, dog leashes, dog waste, yard statues, are cleaned up and put away.
– Back patio and yard are ‘lightly staged’ with plants, cushions on chairs, rugs under seating areas
and patio table. Add outdoor lanterns and candles.
– Patio or deck is cleaned.
– DIY projects checked. To include: freshly stained deck, repaired broken floorboards, lose
banister railings, exterior lights, sheds or outbuildings organized and cleaned. Any landscaping
projects are not left incomplete. Large cracks in driveways or sidewalks are repaired.

Interior Suggestions:
– Home smells clean, looks clean, is de-cluttered and appeals to the senses.
– Eye sores are removed.
– Personal photos and items are put away.
– Daily messes and countertop items (both in the kitchen and bathroom) are put away. –
– Toiletries, perfumes, jewelry aren’t left on vanity counters.
– Small appliances, dishes, and kitchen needs are not cluttered on kitchen counters
– fresh flowers or artificial plants are placed through the entire home to add life
to spaces.
– DIY projects are complete. To include: replacing dated textures, fixtures, wallpaper, window coverings, faucets, general household repairs, etc.
– color palettes and themes in each space are transformed to a more neutral palette. Bold patterns in décor or too many colors are minimized.
– Themes and prominent styles in house are minimized as to not assume the home is exclusively Santa Fe style, Tuscan style, Western, etc.

Keep these suggestions in mind when staging your home for resale, and you’ll enter the selling the process with the confidence your home deserves! If you are considering selling and not sure what your home is actually worth. Nick & Cindy Davis can assist you in selling your home for the most amount, in shortest amount of time and with the best terms. To find out what you home is worth you can either call us at 813-300-7116 to set up an appointment when we can come sit down with you. Fill out this short questionnaire or simply click What’s My Home Worth Below

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