With economists pointing to a buyer’s market in 2012, sellers are scrambling to make their homes more appealing and gain the edge. But you don’t necessarily need to do major renovations to make your home more attractive. In a buyer’s market, home staging can make all the difference in the sale of your home, and you can do home staging yourself by following a few simple guidelines.
1. Clean and depersonalize the space.
When preparing your home, be sure to clean more rigorously than you ever cleaned before, including the exterior. Be sure that your grass is cut, trees and bushes are maintained and the overall appearance of your home’s exterior is appealing. On the inside, clean every surface and make sure that the house is impeccable. One way to approach this is to walk through your home and imagine that you are a potential home buyer. This may allow you to see things you did not see before. Remove all of your personal belongings and anything that represents your personal style. The home buyer needs to be able to imagine themselves living in your home. If your personal touch is everywhere, this may be more difficult. Also remove anything that you plan to take with you and are therefore not willing to sell with the house.
2. Get To Know Your Buyer.
Some people think home staging requires decorating with a completely neutral and somewhat bland style so that anyone can imagine themselves living in the home. While some neutrality is generally a good idea, you also want to have some sense of style and elegance to the home, and choose a style that best matches your potential buyer. Think about who your buyer is. Who are the people buying homes in your area? Are they young professionals, families, or retired couples? Knowing these facts will help you make style choices that work for your audience. You may even want to do some research to see what other homed stagers are doing for customers in your area. Talk to your realtor, do research online, or collect brochures from homes for sale in your neighborhood.
3. Avoid over-decorating.
Furnished housing is generally more appealing than unfurnished spaces, but when it comes to home staging, less is often more. Just a few objects here and there and some well-placed furniture is all you need to create an environment that a homebuyer will be attracted to. With home furniture rental, you can choose whatever best suits your needs. Choose a color scheme and a style that is consistent and bring that style throughout every room in the home. Pay attention to a few details add a touch of elegance here and there. Fresh flowers are always a good idea.
With these few simple tips and a little creativity, you may find that selling your home is much easier than you thought. And you will certainly put yourself and your home ahead of the game when it comes to selling in a buyer’s market.
