The Three Basic Principles Of DIY Home Staging
Staging your home is the process of setting it up in a way that's more attractive to buyers. Professional home stagers will come in and change your furniture, arrange your décor, and even spray customized scents throughout the home to hopefully encourage higher offers. However, these home staging services can be expensive. That doesn't mean you can't take advantage of the basic principles of staging to help sell your home faster. Here are three basic principles to follow when DIY home staging.
The less personal, the better.
Home buyers want to imagine themselves in a home. This is hard to do if the home is still decorated with pictures of your family members and pets. So, one of your first steps in DIY staging should be to get rid of anything personal. Pack it up in the closet or put it in storage. If your walls look really blank after taking away personal items, purchase some generic wall art at a home décor store or even in a thrift shop. Make sure items like bedspreads and pillows are non-personal, too. For instance, you might like that flowery pillowcase, but it's a bit too personalized for most people's tastes, so you're better off replacing it with a plain one.
Indulge all of the senses.
It's not just about how your home looks. It's also about how it smells, tastes, sounds, and feels. If the street is noisy, keep windows closed during the showings to ensure things are quieter. Consider playing some quiet music in the background. Have some freshly baked cookies on hand to give guests a taste, and spray an appealing air freshener. Vanilla and citrus are scents that most people enjoy. Also, make sure there are soft rugs in common areas so guests feel comfortable as they step in the door.
Neutral is the name of the game.
If you have any bright colors in your home, it's time to tone them down. You probably don't need to re-paint every room, but if there's one that's pink or bright yellow, you may want to give it a good coat of generic beige. Even though painting is simple, homeowners will have a hard time picturing what your home may look like in a more neutral color if the current color scheme is too intense.
DIY home staging is not as hard as you might imagine. Remember to indulge the senses, replace bright colors with neutrals, and do away with personalization. Contact a real estate agent for more tips.