Simple Ways to Stage Your Home
In the world of real estate, “staging” means preparing a property for sale by making it visually appealing and easy for potential buyers to envision themselves living there. This generally means a focus on key areas: enhancing curb appeal, cleaning, decluttering, making any necessary updates and rearranging furnishings if necessary. Hiring a professional stager is always an option (expect to pay approx $500 for an initial consultation, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association, plus fees according to how much is required of the stager) but most people choose to handle things themselves. If that’s you, these simple ways to stage your home may help you get the job done.
When you’re ready to put your home on the market, a staged home that looks clean, spacious, bright and inviting will be well worth the effort. Whether that shows itself in the form of selling close to your asking price or a shorter length of time on the market, both are positives for any seller. These tips will help you get your property ready for the market but keep in mind, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Put yourself in a buyer’s shoes and take a critical look at your property. Pay attention to the areas where your home needs attention and skip the ones that don’t apply. Maybe when you’re all done, your home will look so good you’ll think twice about selling!
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First impressions matter. Curb appeal can be key!
- If the exterior of your home looks dingy or has mold/algae growth, consider bringing in a professional to do a thorough power washing.
- Freshen up the front door with a coat of paint. This simple switch can have a big impact.
- Tidy up the yard and garden. Depending on the season, keep the grass cut, shape any shrubs or hedges, put a fresh edge on garden beds and keep them weeded, add a bit of mulch and remove any fallen tree limbs.
- Front doorstep looking a little bland? Give the door a good wash. Add a few pots of colourful plants or flowers to the entryway and be sure to sweep away all spiderwebs.
- Are you the proud owner of those new large garbage bins? Keep them clean and out of sight. Storing them in the garage, in a shed or at least around the side/back of the house is a much better idea than keeping them front and centre.
- If you’re bringing out your favourite rocking chair or patio set, make sure it’s clean and replace any cushions that are worn, faded or stained.
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Declutter: remove mess and excess
- Clear off flat surfaces. In the kitchen, put small appliances, utensils, chargers, trays and that knife block away un a drawer or cabinet. Accumulating stuff on the dining table, book shelves or bathroom vanity? Find containers and get it all neatly out of sight.
- Buyers should be able to move through the rooms of your home with ease. If they can’t, consider relocating some furniture or removing it from the home temporarily.
- As much as you may not like it, if a buyer is serious about buying your home, s/he will probably take a look in your kitchen/bathroom cabinets and closets. They’re trying to evaluate storage space (not your stuff) so make it easy for them. If your cabinets look over-stuffed, remove things. Too much in that closet? Box it up to sell, donate or pack away.
- Most kitchens have a junk drawer. Some homes have more than one. Sometimes avid crafters have stockpiles of supplies, fabric, yarn, etc. Purge the things that no one has looked at for years. If some of those items are useful or if you can’t bear to part with the project you’re going to complete “some day”, pack it up and get it ready for your move.
- If your basement/garage/some other room has become the family dumping ground, now is the time to examine it closely. When you sell your house you’re going to have to get rid of your belongings or move them. Might as well start that organizational work now! Get rid of what you can and store the rest neatly in one location (in Rubbermaid tubs in the garage/attic/basement, for example).
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Find the things that need fixed before your buyer does
- We’re not talking about full-scale renovations here – the next owner can take care of that – just taking care of obvious or potential problems that could present an issue for a potential buyer.
- Patch and paint any cracks in walls or ceilings, deal with peeling wallpaper, repair any sign of nail pops or bubbling. If you’re not experienced at this kind of work, call in a pro.
- Test your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors. Do they close properly and evenly? Is the hardware snug? Do drawers open and close as they’re supposed to?
- Deal with any gaps in molding and trim. Usually this is as easy as adding a little bit of caulking and maybe a touch of paint.
- Make sure there are no signs of plumbing issues. If your toilet wiggles, have a plumber reset it. If your tap constantly drips or the toilet constantly runs, have the plumber take a look at those too.
- If that constant dripping has led to iron stains in the sink, that’s another job you’ll need to take care of. Ditto black, moldy caulking in the shower, clogged bathtub drains, cloudy shower doors and stained shower curtains.
- After the exterior of the house has been cleaned, take a close look for peeling paint, cracked siding and loose gutters. Call in a pro is a good idea.
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If you can only manage a few of these suggestions, this one is key – keep the house clean!
- Remove all cobwebs from tall corners and unused window wells.
- Make sure all windows get washed. Inside and outside.
- Wipe/dust all ceiling fans.
- Shampoo carpets and dust-mop then wet mop hard floors.
- Clean your sinks, fridge, dishwasher and microwave inside and out. A little vinegar and baking soda will remove most stains. If you’ve got stainless steel appliances, give them a wipe with a damp cloth and then dry them off to prevent distracting smudges and streaks. Run the dishwasher and washing machine on a cleaning cycle using some vinegar instead of detergent to break down mineral scale and remove odours.
- Remove and wash vent covers. Dust gathers in between the slats, particularly in larger vents. If you’ve noticed this in your home and haven’t had it done for a few years, consider getting the ducts cleaned. This made a big difference in our home (years of dogs and cats, renovations and living on a dirt road can take their toll) and they washed all of the vent covers for us!
- If this level of cleaning is too much for you to handle on your own, there are local cleaners who offer a range of services. If you explain that you’re getting your home ready to sell, most will have a service package that includes just about everything on your list.
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Final touches are important
- Open curtains/blinds to bring is as much natural light as possible.
- If furniture is looking a little worse for wear, consider using a blanket to cover whatever you’d like to minimize.
- Be aware of any odours that visitors to your home may notice. Are pet smells an issue? Clean up the source of the smell. Open a window to air the space out for a while. Consider a lightly scented and not too perfume-y plug-in air freshener.
- If you’ve got time just before a showing, create a welcoming atmosphere. Consider setting the dining room table. Bring in some fresh flowers. Put on some quiet music. Maybe even lighting a fire in the fireplace if you know you’ll be home soon. Some extra effort can go a long way toward setting a welcoming atmosphere that buyers will respond to.
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Selling your home can be stressful, especially if you’re trying to appeal to buyers. It’s easier said than done but try to not get too emotionally involved in the process. That will make it easier to understand the feedback you receive from buyers. It will also help you to make that information work for you to get your property sold!
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If you’ve been thinking about selling your home or property,
Forest Hill – GREY COUNTY can help.
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