If you are thinking about selling your home, you may have heard of the term “staging” to help you sell your home quicker. Staging refers to preparing the home with the primary goal of appealing to as many potential buyers as possible. Staging focuses on highlighting your home’s best features to help you attract potential buyers and maximize the price your property sells for. The goal when you sell your home is to help potential buyers envision their future living in your home, and this guide can help you do so!

Why You Should Stage Your Home
If you look across the market properties for sale, you will notice some homes that really stand out and some that don’t pop out as much. Many homeowners do not stage their home prior to putting it on the market, which means two things. 1) Those homes are likely not going to fetch a large pool of buyers or the highest value they could get for their home. 2) Your staged home will really stand out next to comparable homes in your area that aren’t staged.

Clean Thoroughly
One of the best and easiest ways to attract eyes is by creating a clean environment for buyers.  As you clean your home focus on cleaning it as if it was a hotel. Make sure to vacuum, mop, clean the counters and walls, etc.

Homebuyers will get an idea of how well your home was cared for by looking at the overall cleanliness of your home. This first impression matters and can go a long way towards making a sale. After you’ve completed cleaning ask your agent or a friend to look and see if there’s anything you missed. The second set of eyes can help you cover everything before buyers start looking at the home.

Declutter Each Room
When buyers see a home full to its brim it can be hard for buyers to see the true beauty of your home. Also having your home jam-packed can make it hard for homebuyers to visualize how they would use each space. Large spaces begin to look smaller when they are filled and can downplay the home’s potential.

On the bright side, it doesn't cost much to declutter your home and can help you earn more for your home at the time of sale. Get rid of everything you don’t use or need and don’t just shove things away in the corner or a closet. Buyers will likely look in your closets to see what type of storage your home has, and messy closets are a deterrent.

Depersonalize Everything
Over time we all collect things that make our home our own. After you have reduced your clutter, you want to look at depersonalizing your home. This means packing away your personal belongings like family photos and things that only have meaning to you. Potential homebuyers are there to look at your home and not your belongings. It also helps your potential buyers visualize how they will integrate their belongings in your home if yours are not in the way! According to the National Association of Realtors, 83% of homebuyers said staging helped them visualize the space as their future home. 

Make Small Repairs
When you live in a place for a long time, you start to glaze over some of the little details that will stick out to potential buyers. This can include small dents in the walls, leaky faucets a squeaky door, etc. While these are all minor issues, your potential buyers will fall more in love with your home if you knock out these tiny repairs. If your home needs larger repairs, you may consider asking your realtor about a concierge program where they will help you weigh what repairs will bring more value to your home at the time of sale.

Staging Your Furniture
Some rooms in your home hold more meaning to buyers and you want to make sure these areas hit that wow factor. This includes dining rooms, living rooms, kitchens, and offices. While you may have a way you prefer your furniture for comfort, you may consider rearranging it to help open the floor plan or make it look neat and tidy for potential buyers. You can also keep some decorative items to give these paces some character! While we mentioned earlier depersonalizing your space, you can still give it some warmth with decorations that are less personal but still add a splash of color or style.

If you are curious about staging your home but unsure how to go about it make sure to ask your real estate agent and they will help guide you through the steps to make your home stand out!