10 Home Staging Mistakes to Avoid
Written by Diane Luebbers
Are you thinking about putting your house on the market soon? If so, there are several things you’ll need to do to get your home “show” ready in order to get the best price for your home in this changing market. One of the most important items on your to-do list should be to stage your home. Having a well-staged home will appeal to a wide range of buyers by helping them to visualize themselves living there. Here are 10 common staging mistakes to avoid when getting your home ready for market.
Photo Credit: Spacejoy
Too much furniture.
Having too much furniture in your home can make your home seem cramped and smaller than it really is. Buyers may incorrectly assume they will not be able to fit their belongings into the space.
Not cleaning thoroughly.
Buyers will pick up on dirt and grime. If you don’t have time to do it yourself, consider hiring a professional cleaner to do a thorough deep clean of your home.
Too much stuff.
Curious buyers will open closets and drawers. The less stuff you have crammed into your linen closet or kitchen drawers for example, the more spacious your home will feel. Now is the time to purge and organize your home. Do you really want to move all that stuff anyway?
Too many knick-knacks and décor on display.
Picture a luxury hotel room and strive to achieve a stylish but curated decor – pack all extraneous items away and either rent a storage unit or stack boxes neatly in your garage.
Dingy or tattered décor.
Having dingy, faded, or tattered towels, drapes and throw pillows can make your home feel worn and tired. Replace these items with new, inexpensive ones and think in terms of complementary colors that will bring new life to rooms in need of freshening.
Garish or bold paint colors.
Buyers may not have the time or the desire to repaint before moving in. If the paint colors are neutral, buyers can more easily picture their belongings in the space, alleviating the need to add one more task to what is oftentimes a stressful relocation process.
TMI.
Too much information – in other words, don’t leave too many personal photographs or specific items that are religious or potentially offensive. You don’t want buyers to feel like they are intruding into someone’s home or alienate them with something they may find off-putting.
Underestimating the importance of curb appeal.
Buyers often tell me they know within the first 5 minutes of a showing whether they are interested in a particular home. Sometimes they may not even want to get out of the car to go inside the home if the yard or front of the house is unkempt and unappealing. You’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression. Stand on the street in front of your home and look at your yard and the front of your home through buyers’ eyes. What needs cleaning? What needs grooming? Do you need to repaint shutters or house numbers to create a fresh, inviting look? Small updates go a long way to creating curb appeal that will entice buyers to fall in love with your home.
Neglecting minor repairs.
If a buyer sees things in your home that are broken or not working properly, they may start to question whether or not you have maintained your home adequately and wonder about things they can’t see at first glance. The more your home appears clean and well maintained, the more confident a buyer will be that they are making a sound financial decision to purchase your home.
Not taking professional photos.
After all the efforts you’ve put in to clean and stage your home properly, you want to maximize your home’s exposure to the largest audience possible. Recent statistics show that 97% of home buyers find their home online. Professional photography can help you to put your best digital foot forward and attract more buyers with the goal of getting top dollar for your home.
Photo Credit: Spacejoy
If you would like to know more about how you can get the most money out of your home, contact me for a free consultation.
Diane Luebbers
The Luebbers Team
BluAxis Realty®
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(828)-785-8551