Key takeaways:
Use staging if houses in your area aren’t selling or you have a lot of similar properties competing for the same buyers.
You can use the principles of staging to create a bright clutter free house that looks better than the competition.
What is staging?
Staging a house is the process of improving its look and feel to make it more attractive to potential buyers. Properties in higher price brackets are more likely to be staged. Staging is all about highlighting the positive points of a property and reducing the impact of the negative ones.
Do I need to hire someone to stage my house?
A professional house stager can work wonders, but most people don’t have the money to hire one. You also need to consider whether it’s worth it for your property. It may not be necessary if your house is in a location that is highly sought after, has low availability or looks pretty good already. Some houses will sell straight away. However, if there are many similar properties available in your area and houses tend to take a while to sell, then staging could be the thing that differentiates yours from the rest.
If you’re selling a property worth half a million or over then staging is definitely a good idea. If not, it can still have an impact and there’s lots you can do yourself.
Do some research
The first step is inspiration. Start by researching online, with the most expensive properties listed on property websites such as Rightmove. You’ll notice that these homes, despite their high price tags, share common traits. They’re clean, tidy, well-lit, spacious, and have a good few accessories in each room. While your house may not look exactly like these after this process, you can use the same principles to make your home stand out amongst similarly priced properties. If done well, this could even help justify a slightly higher asking price.
A very good example of staging can be seen in a new development show house. If you know someone considering buying one, go along for the ride and you’ll see professional staging in action.
When staging your own home, keep in mind that it’s all about helping buyers envision the future. Potential buyers will imagine how they’ll live in the house as they’re shown around. The easier you can make it for them to see themselves living there, the better. Stage your house so that it will appeal to a wide range of tastes rather than your own. That doesn’t have to mean making it look bland, but it does mean avoiding anything that is obviously garish.
Light and space
Ensuring you have lots of light in your photos is going to depend to some extent on taking them on the right day. Your estate agent’s photographer should know how to get the right lighting. If you have rooms with great natural lighting, ensure that windows are clean and unobstructed. Add lamps where necessary to create ambience in smaller rooms.
Clear out anything you don’t use. Send it to the attic or the shed until the house is sold. Pare down each room until you are left only with items that are essential or that look great.
Garden area
If you have a decent garden area, highlight the best bits. Make sure the grass is mowed and surrounding area kept tidy. If you have outdoor seating, make sure it’s clean and set up to look inviting. The same goes if you have a permanent barbecue set up, ensure it’s clean and clear of clutter. Even if these outside items don’t come with the house, they can help prospective buyers envision themselves barbecuing or having dinner outside with family and friends.
Furnishings
If some of your furnishings have seen better days, make them more presentable using extra throws and cushions. Remove any that look too faded or worn for now. You want to present a house that suggests a fresh start, free of the blemishes and problems buyers may face in their own home.
Mirrors can be used to great effect to create the appearance of more space. Bars and restaurants do this all the time, and it works well to make small rooms appear much bigger than they are.
For bedrooms, ensure all beds are made with fresh covers and sheets. This may seem like obvious advice, but a quick look on Rightmove will show you many listings with unmade beds.
Setting the dining table if you have one can help potential buyers imagine living in your house. Repaint any scuffs on walls, doors and skirting boards on particularly run down rooms as it can make all the difference.
Add plants and flowers to the house if there is room. Plants and flowers can help make the place feel more alive and cleaner when used correctly.
Your home needs to be clean to impress prospective buyers. How clean? A deep clean of all rooms is what you’ll need. Clean the oven, the bath, dust the TV. Leave no stone unturned.
Inform your estate agent
Make sure your estate agent knows the answers to many common questions. When was the property built? How long has it been empty? These are easy questions to answer that prospective buyers are likely to ask.
House not selling fast enough?
We have years of experience in the property market and we would be happy to talk to you about your situation.
