Home Staging Tips To Help You Sell Your Home
Image Credit - Francis of Malvern
If you are planning to put your house on the market this summer, it goes without saying that you are hoping to sell your home as quickly as possible and get your asking price. Whatever your reason for wanting a quick move, there are many actions you can take to increase interest in your property and in turn, speed up the selling process. Prospective buyers form an opinion on your house within the first 7-10 seconds of stepping in the front door, so making a good first impression is vital when you’re trying to sell your home. A few simple changes around the house can help speed up the sales process and even boost the value of your property. This is where home staging comes in. Home staging is a method of decorating meant to highlight your home’s most impressive assets and help buyers imagine themselves moving in and living there. Persian rugs are often used as a creative tool to draw attention to certain areas of your home which you would like to showcase. Do it right, and you should have no problem selling your home quickly. Here are 10 home staging tips to help you sell your home:
BOOST CURB APPEAL
Image Credit - Pinterest
Could your home use a bit of extra curb appeal? This is something you will hear often, and with very good reason. People thinking of viewing your home will usually do a quick drive-by first, deciding if it is even worth a look inside. Adding curb appeal is often an easy and inexpensive way to make your house look nicer and boost its value. Make sure your home is ready to lure in onlookers with these tips:
- Power wash driveway
- Hang easy-to-read house numbers
- Plant blooming flowers and fresh greenery
- Mow lawn, and reseed or add fresh sod as needed
- Wash front windows
- Make your door pop
- Repaint exterior if needed
WELCOME VISITORS WITH AN INVITING PORCH
Image Credit (left to right) - Homey Style, Pinterest
As the entrance way to your home, your front door makes a statement about your whole property. Improving your exterior design is fairly simple. A fresh lick of paint allows you to add a pop of colour and character to your home’s entrance. Even if you only have a tiny stoop, make it say “welcome home” with a clean doormat - and if you have room - one or two potted plants in bloom. Illuminating the pathway with solar lights is an extra touch, in case potential buyers drive by in the evening.
GET YOUR HOUSE SPARKLING CLEAN
Image Credit - Steel Door Australia
Spring cleaning has nothing on the cleaning you should do when you’re putting your home on the market. Every square inch should shine, from the baseboards to the corners of your ceilings and everywhere in between. A squeaky clean home suggests to buyers that the current tenants took good care of the property, a notion that extends beyond the kitchen countertops to the entire house. From shining floors and gleaming windows to clean counters and scrubbed grout, every surface should sparkle. If you’ve neglected tasks, like cleaning the inside of your refrigerator or regularly dusting your window blinds, now is the time to tackle them. Keeping your home clean is the easiest (well, maybe not easiest, but certainly the cheapest) way to help your home put its best foot forward. Don’t skimp — this step is key!
STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN CLEAN AND LIVED-IN
Image Credit (left to right) - Hunker, Air Tasker
Clutter takes up space, and space is what sells. So, If you are serious about staging your home, rule number one: all clutter must go! You don’t have to get rid of everything, but you should certainly be packing the majority up - It may even require utilising offsite storage, but it is well worth the trouble. Clean and clear surfaces, floors, cupboards and closets equal more space in the eyes of potential buyers, so purge anything unnecessary or unsightly. All floors and surfaces should be clutter-free, while cupboards should be neatly organised in case sneaky guests start peeking. The less clutter you’ve got in the space, the bigger it will look and the more appealing it will be to buyers.
Yes, we know it sounds like we’re telling you to turn your home into a model show home, but now it's time to judiciously bring back a few elements that will really make your home appealing. Think vases of cut flowers, a basket of fresh farmer's market produce on the kitchen counter or a bowl of lemons beside the sink.
CHOOSE SOPHISTICATED NEUTRAL COLOURS
Image Credit - Cove Co Interior Design
Now is not the time to experiment with that "fun"-looking lime green. Bright colours on walls help people express their personality in their homes, but they can be a major turn-off for buyers. That doesn't mean you need to go all white though - when you’re staging your home to sell, one of the very best things you can do is paint over any garish colours with warm neutrals, like grey and taupe. Rich mid-tone neutrals like mocha and "greige" create a sophisticated backdrop that makes everything look more pulled together. This staging tip is a bit more time and cost-intensive, but it can make a substantial difference when it comes to your sale price and time on the market.
CREATE A GENDER-NEUTRAL MASTER BEDROOM
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest
Gender-neutral doesn’t just apply to children and nurseries. In a master bedroom, often one person’s style can overshadow the other, to get the best of both feminine and masculine opt for gender-neutral design. You can appeal to everyone with a clean, tailored master bedroom, free of personal items and clutter. For an impeccably curated room, crisp linens, plump cushions, tasteful artwork and a blanket folded at the foot of the bed for added cosiness.
USE "EXTRA" ROOMS WISELY
Image Credit - Country Living
If you have been using a spare bedroom as a dumping ground for odd pieces of furniture and boxes of junk, it's time to clean up your act. While having an extra room in your house designated solely for storage may be a good idea for your living situation, a potential home buyer may find it difficult to see that room as usable.
Have an extra room in your house that you don’t know how to stage? Each room should have a clearly defined purpose; An office? A guest room? Another kids' room? To stage an empty room your best bet is to bring in a few extra furniture pieces from the other rooms in your house and arrange them around a “theme.”
REARRANGE YOUR FURNITURE
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest, Shelterness
Staging a home to sell doesn’t necessitate paying out a lot of money – just making smart decisions. There needs to be as much open, walkable space as possible - this helps buyers navigate the area, and also helps them better visualise their furniture in each room. Put extraneous furniture in storage to get it out of the way, focusing on getting rid of any oversized pieces, damaged pieces, and those that don’t match the rest of the room. Before moving furniture around, think about the function of each room, then rearrange the furniture you have left to make the room look and feel as spacious as possible. Once you know you’ve done everything you can to show your home in the best light possible, you can sit back and wait for the right buyer to stop by.
STAGE THE OUTDOORS TOO
Image Credit - Not On The High Street
Ready to sell? Creating a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living spaces can give prospective buyers the perception of extra square footage and increased value. Generally speaking, you want to play up what your neighbourhood is known for. Do you have a house in a quiet, grassy suburb? Hanging a hammock in your garden and a bench swing on your porch could be the perfect touch.
EXPERIMENT WITH RUGS
Featured Rugs - QASHQAI, LACEY
Try an Oriental rug – they make a room feel large, stylish, and ultimately more homely. Persian or Oriental rugs can be a tool to help guide the eye through the home, drawing in and diverting attention when necessary. When staging a home, developing a style is crucial to ensure a cohesive design. The goal is to use a Persian rug that contains colours in a room you want to emphasise, makes a space warm and inviting and most importantly defines a room. If you are looking for a rug to stage a home, then contact us to discuss options. Why not give it a go and find out.
Check out our blog archives for guides and tips on interior design and home decor ideas.
You can check us out on Pinterest and Instagram to keep up to date with the latest trends and rug inspo. COVID-19 UPDATE - ONLINE SALES FULLY ACTIVE. Warehouse visits are now open by appointment only. House visits remain on pause for the time being. You can view one of the largest collections of Persian Rugs in London on our website and if you have any questions, you can contact us here.
