Tips for How to Stage a Home
1. What Is Home Staging?
Surely you have seen perfectly decorated homes featured in magazines and on social media. These images often show exceptionally put-together homes that may or may not look lived in. These high-quality images can inspire both envy and higher asking prices. Well-photographed homes can command, on average, a 47% higher asking price per square foot.
Home staging is a marketing strategy that uses the ideal of upgrading curb appeal by adding and rearranging furniture and decor. When you stage a home, you are dressing up your home so that it sells quickly and at the highest possible price. You are “packaging” your home in a way that creates an inviting vibe where potential buyers can see themselves living.
2. First Things First - It’s Time to Declutter and Clean Up
While a spotless home is not a reality for most, decluttering your home is the first step in improving its appeal. Take time to deep clean your home and get rid of any clutter that may be taking up space.
Prospective buyers do not want to see your collection of fly fishing magazines or video games. Put away piles of paper, remote controls, and nic-nacs that do not add to the value of your home.
Be sure to clean your windows and floors and any vents or fans. Bathrooms should have fresh towels and new soap. The beds need to be refreshed and look new. Home buyers do not want to purchase a home that feels lived in, but rather one that they could see themselves moving into tomorrow.
3. Boost Your Curb Appeal
95% of users viewed the first photo in the listing for a total of 20 seconds, and typically that first photo is a picture of the outside of your home. Ensuring that the outside of your home is looking its best can make a very profitable first impression when marketing your home. A good start to getting the outside of your home “staged” is to:
- Trim your trees and bushes
- Mow your lawn
- Rake and remove any leaves
- Clean your gutters
- Cover bare spots with plants or decor
- Pressure wash hard exterior surfaces
- Upgrade lighting fixtures and doorknobs
- Clean up any outdoor living spaces
4. Make Your Interiors Look Spacious and Fresh
Big rooms are attractive to buyers. Get rid of any gaudy furniture or unnecessary rugs. Keep your walls a neutral palette, and be sure to open up any blinds and curtains.
Natural light will make the rooms look much larger. For showings, turn on all of the lights in your home, including lamps and closet lights. This will not only showcase every corner of your house but keep buyers from having to figure out light switches.
However, do not overdo your home staging. Make sure to define rooms well by showing buyers how to maximize the square footage. Over-styling can create a sense of inauthenticity and make your home look too formal. Buyers should be able to touch and feel their way through your home, not worrying about being distracted by too many details.
5. Hire a Professional Photographer
Even if your home is flawlessly staged, you may still struggle to sell it quickly and for the asking price if there are no high-quality pictures to show potential buyers. Real estate photographers are skilled at enhancing the beauty of your house.
They have the expertise and professional equipment needed to capture your home in its entirety. If you don't know how important it is to hire a professional photographer when selling your home, check out my blog, “Why Hire a Professional Photographer."
Consider these statistics to see how crucial it is to hire a professional photographer:
- 97% of homebuyers used the internet in their home search.
- 33% of people purchased the home sight unseen. Up 21% from 2020.
- 95% of users viewed the first photo in the listing for a total of 20 seconds.
- 60% of the time, viewing photos, whereas only 20% of the time, reading the description.
- 47% higher asking price per square foot with high-quality images.
If you are in the process of selling your home and need a professional real estate photographer, Times Treasured Studios is here for you. I can guarantee that your home will be photographed in a way that will make potential buyers fall in love, thanks to my more than 20 years of real estate photography experience. I also provide video, aerial photography, and scans for virtual tours, in addition to still photos.
When you're ready to schedule a session or maybe simply want to chat more, there are several ways to contact me. To find out which option best suits your needs, visit my website or contact me through my contact page. While you're there, please look around the rest of my website to get a feel for my photography style and the package choices that are available. Let's talk soon!