 Of course, you are allowed to decorate your home however you want, but you should know that once you are selling your home you have to keep in mind what buyers are looking for, not what your decorating taste may be. When you stage your home to sell, it is impossible to satisfy everyone's tastes so it is a good idea to play it safe by keeping it simple and generic. A tidy home with conventional colors will move faster for when selling, renting, or leasing than an empty or overly decorated home.
"Its all about staging your home to make it look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving," say professional staging expert Kathy Cubanio. The plan is to encourage your potential buyer/s to imagine being settled into your home. Therefore, you should keep everything neutral and generic so your buyers can envision the details and personal touches for themselves. Advice and Strategies To do this, start by purging your home of distracting personal décor, photos, and/or personal items. Decorate and paint with neutral colors and avoid trendy, over the top accessories and décor. The trick is to create scenery that appeals to all five senses. Use soft inviting fabrics, like silk, chenille, or fleece. Display knickknacks and chotchskies in units of 1, 3, and 5 to keep things symmetrical and pleasing to the eye. Use inviting scented candles or oils like cinnamon and vanilla to gently scent the air. And leaving out a tray of homemade cookies or delicious finger foods may not be a bad idea either. It may sound crazy, but what person isn't enticed by fresh baked goods and free food? Professional Tips Professional stagers often use a variety of accessories to dress up a vacant or empty home. These are simple, safe, and generic elements that can add a homey feel without going over the top, for instance, mirrors, plants, silk flowers, throw rugs, inflatable beds, love seats, ottomans, and desk/floor lamps. The kitchen is most often the selling point of a home, because it is essentially the heart of the home. Try giving your kitchen a colorful, culinary feel, by putting a large bowl filled with colorful fruits like apples, oranges, and lemons. Keep countertops spotless and free of clutter (put away any unnecessary appliances). For an added touch, try setting the table with your nice china and flatware. Also, if the cabinets look dry and dull try wiping them with orange oil to renew them to their original luster. Bathrooms are also essential to staging as well. They should appear clean and uncluttered. Clear away all your usual toiletries, toothbrushes, etc. Wipe down faucets and countertops until they are shiny and spotless. A good staging trick is to fill a basket with spa items like bath salts, lotions, scented soaps, and pretty hand towels. Don't neglect the backyard either. Try setting up a simple patio table and chairs with some potted plants and flowers to add some color to the property. Also, keep the lawn mowed and hedges trimmed (even if the home is vacant, as unkempt lawns lower property value). Staging a home to sell is easy if you keep it simple, neutral, and safe. But when in doubt you can hire a professional home stager to set up your home. Their services can run anywhere from $500 to $5000 or more depending on the size of your home and how intricate you are looking to get. |
