Successful staging is key to selling your home quickly and at the best price. From cleaning to styling, these tips can help….
Boost street appeal
This is something you always hear, and with very good reason. Many people will do a quick drive-by first, often deciding on the spot if it is even worth a look inside. You may need to think ahead about your lawn. Does it need weeding, feeding or replacement? A healthy lawn can take weeks to establish. Start here first and then move on with the following:
- Wash down the house and remove all lurking spider webs.
- Plant some low cost shrubs, weed and mulch your garden well, but stay away from the reddish coloured mulch, it does your street appeal no favours! Remember to do the edges as well.
- Consider a decorative pot at your front door and a new doormat or even a new house number.
Get your home sparkling clean
From shining floors to gleaming windows don’t miss any surface. This is one of the easiest ways to help your home put its best foot forward and don’t forget about the pet odours! If you have pets, get all carpets steam cleaned and be extra vigilant about vacuuming and washing surfaces. Clear away all clutter. If you are serious about staging your home, all clutter must go. No exceptions! Also remember that we want the buyers to see themselves in the space. De-personalise as much as possible.
Paint! Paint! Paint!
This is your biggest payoff activity. Nothing transforms a house quicker than a coat of paint. But be aware that the colour scheme is crucial! Most paint companies offer the services of a colour consultant for a small fee. If in doubt use their services. It will be money well spent.
Take a good look at your floors
Are your outdated floor tiles too expensive to replace? Consider covering with a good area rug. Top this with the right scale and style furniture and you’ll be good to go.
Furniture placement
Rearrange your furniture. In the living room, symmetrical arrangements usually work well. Pull your furniture off the walls and create an intimate conversation area.
Use “extra” rooms wisely
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 say goodbye. Each room should have a clearly defined purpose, so think about what potential buyers might like to see here. An office? A guest room? A nursery? Whether you buy inexpensive furnishings or rent them, making a real room out of a junk room will have a big payoff.
UNSIGHTLY NEIGHBOURS?
Invest in light filtering roller blinds. They impede the view but allow light to filter in. They don’t offer great privacy at night so you may need a double roller system, which will also include a blockout roller blind for night time use.
BATHROOMS
Buyers love the enticing allure of a fresh, beautiful bathroom that reminds them of a luxury hotel. However, the reality is that most of us do not have the perfect bathroom. And when selling we know, in most instances, it is not a wise investment to do a full, costly renovation just for the sales process – it simply doesn’t translate into profit. So a better strategy is to maximise what you already have, on a budget.
Start with cleaning that grout! Visit your local Bunnings store for a plethora of products to make that grout look brand new. Replace taps, add some greenery (it can be fake!) and top it off with some clean fluffy towels and your space will feel new.
KITCHENS
A major kitchen overhaul can cost a huge amount of money. Consider what small changes you can make to update your kitchen. Paint rather than replace cabinets, switch out your door hardware. If the appliances are extremely out-of-date and you decide to replace them, don’t feel pressured to go super high-end. A clean, fresh, bright kitchen that makes the most of the space will attract buyers and does not need to cost an arm and a leg.
AND FINALLY INVEST IN PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
These guys know what they’re doing! From timing the shoot so it has the best sunlight position to knowing what angles to shoot from. I cannot stress enough what difference this can make to having a potential buyer decide on including your home on their inspection list.