Home staging tips to help you sell your property

As increased buyer interest in the housing market begins to indicate potential purchasers may be considering returning to the market, if you are trying to sell your home, now's the time to ensure you're doing everything possible to make your home stand out as the rung buyers should be getting onto when taking that tentative step back onto the property ladder.

Getting the home staging aspect of the sale process right can mean the difference between a buyer who makes an offer on your home and one who walks away. So here are some top tips for making sure you are showing off your home to maximum effect.

Don't worry if you're new to the idea of home staging, or indeed have never heard the term before. Simply put, home staging is the act of preparing your home before it goes up for sale with the core aim being to sell your home as quickly as possible and for the maximum profit by making it attractive to the highest number of purchasers.

Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative

A well-staged home will be arranged so as to draw property viewers' eyes to the best attributes of the property, while minimising any flaws the property may have. Cleaning your home, carrying out minor repair work and de-cluttering will also be important when it comes to making a good impression on potential buyers, so make sure that your home is dust-free, vacuumed, clean and tidy.

Remember to be thorough; for example, don't forget to clean external windows, skirting boards, fill any holes which may be left from pictures, touch up scuffed paintwork, polish mirrors and clean any marks previously left on carpets and flooring.

Depersonalise

When home staging, it is important to depersonalise your home so that viewers have the opportunity to imagine themselves living in your house. Make sure you remove family photos, awards, personal collections, religious artefacts, and so on because you want buyers to see the house as a potential home rather than as your home.

This doesn't mean stripping out the entire contents of your property so it ends up looking bare and uninviting, but it does mean creating a space which house-hunters feel comfortable being shown around without feeling they're peering in on someone else's personal life.

Create a neutral environment

Your tastes and favourite colour schemes won't necessarily be the same as those of your potential buyers and while you can't predict the individual interior design tastes of every person who comes through your door, you can create an overall effect to appeal to the maximum number of potential buyers. The best way to achieve this is to create a neutral environment, however, be careful not to confuse neutral with bland.

If you aren't confident in deciding how to create the right look and feel for your home, it may be worth getting professional home staging help as an expert will know the latest trends and fashions to wow your viewers. It could also be the case that, while you may feel that your home needs a complete overhaul costing hundreds of pounds, a home staging specialist may instead advise you on how to make some minor tweaks and adjustments cheaply in order to create a great impression.

Make a grand entrance

You'll want your home to make a grand entrance onto the property market, so make the entrance to your home grand! A well-maintained, welcoming facade will help buyers instantly warm to your house. You want viewers to be able to picture themselves coming to your house at the end of a hard day at work, so being greeted by leaking guttering, broken wind-chimes, empty hanging baskets, or a Virginia creeper which looks like it has seen better days isn't the way to achieve this!

Unless you don't have a 'for sale' board outside your home, the exterior of your home will be what determines whether or not potential buyers even arrange a viewing. With this in mind, make sure rubbish bins are out of sight, windows and external paintwork are well maintained, and your front garden (if you have one) looks cared for regardless of the season.

Use light and mirrors to create open spaces

Creating a light and airy ambience for viewers to enjoy as soon as they take their first step through your front door is all-important. Make sure blinds and curtains are open in order to flood your house with natural light as far as possible. If the rooms in your home are small, then strategically placed mirrors will help to create the illusion of space.

Accessorise

You can give your home a welcoming 'lived in' feel without having your personal possessions on display. For example, house plants will add a natural splash of life and colour, well-placed artwork will bring the walls to life, candles can add warmth to an empty bathroom shelf, and fresh, soft towels can make a house instantly feel more homely. If you're unsure how to accessorise, you could employ the help of an expert, or read up on home staging and visit show homes in your area to get a feel for the sort of extra finishing touches which the professionals use.

Create focal points

As potential buyers move through your home their eyes will be drawn to various features, however, it's a good idea to create a focal point for each room so that viewers aren't overwhelmed by numerous conflicting features.

Some rooms have features which will naturally dominate the space, for example, bay windows or a large fireplace. If the rooms in your home don't have an obvious focal point don't worry because this can be achieved relatively easily, for example, well-presented table and chairs can become the central feature of a dining room, just as a beautifully made-up bed can become the attention-grabbing element of a master bedroom.

We hope that these home staging tips help you achieve that key 'wow factor' and help you secure a profitable sale.

Source: Propertyindex.com | Last updated: 21st April 2009

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