A new home is a fresh start. Help your potential buyers project their vision into the home you’re selling and the next thing you know there’ll be a handshake, smiles and a swag dance behind the closed door. However you want to go about home staging, what you basically want to convey to your prospects is:
This home is clean, functional, easily livable and comfortable.
Tour your home like a prospect would and consider these thoughtful, low-cost touches.
Tip #1 - Spruce up the curb profile
Sounds worn out, but with a good reason. Curb appeal alone will not sell your home fast, but it’s a necessary start. Whereas the curb appeal may not be crucial for prospects brought by your realtor San Diego, it may be the X factor that attracts a passer-by interested in making a home purchase.
To go back to what we said above, you want to ensure that what your home spells from the outside is: “This is a loved home – it’s clean and maintained.” As necessary, wash the siding, windows and the doormat, wash the walkway and driveway and primp the lawn and greenery. If your lawn is patchy, reseed it and keep it trimmed. Consider some blooming potted plants that will look homey and welcoming. Make sure your lighting is in good condition and keep it on in the evenings (for the same reason shop windows are lit when shops are closed).
Tip #2 - Make it sparkle
A clean home makes the best impression. There’s no way around this first step. Details count here – don’t miss the yucky grout, baseboards, light switches, etc. It could be wise to call in some cleaning pros to do the dirtiest work, so to speak.
If you have pets, the importance of deep clean cannot be stressed enough. If pet odors and lint can’t be eliminated, they should be minimized. Make sure the kitchen and bathroom don’t show any muddy paws or anything like that.
Tip #3 - Free some space
Clutter is a huge no when you want to present your home to prospective buyers. Huge! There are two reasons you want to get clutter out of the way:
1. You want your home to feel more spacious than it is
2. You want to make it easier for your potential buyers to imagine themselves living in your home
If you don’t want to part with your clutter, see if you can store it somewhere temporarily.
You shouldn’t overdo decluttering to the point of making your home really look like a stage. Just make it more breathable and less cramped. For example, you should free up a third of your closet to make it look bigger (yes, you should expect potential buyers to glimpse into your closet).
If you have children, get toy clutter out of sight. A tidy and organized kid’s room is probably every parent’s dream. Prospects who have children will fall in love with a home that seems to be easy to keep tidy.
Tip #4 - Arrange furniture for conversation
Your living room will come across as more appealing if the furniture is symmetrically arranged or distributed in a way that invites conversation.
This applies not only to the living room, but to the patio, deck or porch as well. Even if these spaces are teensy, you want to show how they can be places of togetherness.
On top of the furniture arrangement, you could put a vase or two of freshly cut flowers on the dining table and some end tables.
Tip #5 - Put every nook and cranny to use
Any awkward spaces should demonstrate some purpose. If your home has any alcoves, wall recesses, space under the stairs and such, put those spaces to use. They can be displays for mementos and artwork, space to read, a home command center or whatever you see fit.
If you have a guest room that’s been transformed into storage, go back to our tip #2 and declutter, so the room can go back its original purpose. Or you can make it into a dedicated room, like a meditation room, yoga room, craft room, game room or home theater.
Have a reputable and experienced realtor San Diego at your side
This is actually our final tip. Even though you may think we are biased, we are simply speaking from experience. A seasoned and knowledgeable realtor can guide you through the whole selling process, from the prepping work that you can do DIY or through a contractor, to the staging phase and finally, the sale. Take the burden out of selling your home. We have as many as 100 years of collective experience in San Diego real estate – we’re an old hand at this and we’d be happy to help!