Selling a home is all about making it look as enticing as possible. There are a lot of expensive ways to improve a home before putting it on the market, but a homeowner should think really carefully about whether these costs are worth it. Will fixing the bathroom really add an extra $20,000 to the asking price? Probably not. Experienced realtors will be the first to say that fixing rather than replacing should be the mindset of a potential home seller. Part of the fixing mentality is home staging, which refers to the ways that people prepare their home for viewings. This is especially popular in the North East, where homes are always prepared immaculately for viewings. Anyone interested in home selling saugerties, for example, is advised to consider these 5 great home staging ideas:
1. Always remove personal items
The most important step is to pack up all personal items before viewings. Far too many people think it is endearing to leave their stuff strewn across the home, but they are wrong. All it does is distract the viewer and make it seem like there is no space for anything. Potential buyers need to be able to see an empty home. This way they will be able to imagine what they can do with it – what it will look like with their personal stuff in it.
2. Give the house a little makeover
Is the bathroom painted a light yellow? Is one of the kid’s rooms painted red because that’s what they wanted in grade school? Are the scuff marks on the floor or wall that bring down the quality of the home? These all need to be attended to before viewing. The idea is to make the home as neutral as possible. White walls are the rule here, and simplicity is king. Make it appear as much like a model home as possible, which means essentially moving out while most of the viewings are happening.
3. Clean Windows
This goes a long way in presentation points. Spend a whole day scrubbing down all the windows in the home, no matter how small they are. It’s important to make them seem as new as possible, even if they are over 10 years old. This includes changing the curtains. A lot of people get comfortable with heavy curtains that sag and bring a real heaviness to the room. Replace any dark or heavy curtains with simple curtains that don’t catch the eye.
4. Buy Some New Lighting
It’s possible that the lighting in the living room is not ideal for viewing. Make sure it is bright and beautiful so that all the personality in the room is accented. Are the wood floors clean and beautiful? Make sure the light reflects off of it.