If you are struggling with selling your home or getting the prices you want on an investment property, then one thing to look at is how you are staging the house. Home staging is about bringing in or arranging the existing furnishings and decor to make the property look its best. The idea is to use the materials on hand to accentuate the property’s good features and entice potential homebuyers into imagining themselves as owners of the property.
Home staging is an intentional process and whether you are selling your personal home or you are investing in real estate with your IRA, getting it right can be rough. Consider the following tips to get started:
Tips for Staging Your Home or Investment Property
- Bring in the light. You don’t want to hide your property in shadows and dim spaces. Home buyers want to see bright, well-lit rooms where they can best get an idea of a space. So when showing during the day, be sure to have blinds or curtains pulled back to allow in all the possible natural light. Do a walkthrough of your property at night and consider any rooms or spaces that seem dim and improperly lit. For these areas, bring in extra light fixtures. Note that simply switching out your lightbulbs can make a difference. Try and opt for daylight color temperatures (5000K-65000K).
- Less is more except for when it’s not. The best rule of thumb in home staging when selling a home is to remove half of the existing furniture. Property sellers want the home to look open and removing excess cluttered furniture is an excellent way of doing so. The only caveat to this rule is when existing furniture is mismatched or when selling an investment property that lacks furniture completely. In these situations, a good idea is to either rent pieces that work together or incorporated pop-up furniture, which is a mixture of cardboard and corrugated plastic that is real enough to give sellers an idea of a space’s potential but still cost-effective for homebuyers trying to get the most out of their property.
- Work on that curb appeal. The first thing any potential homebuyer sees is the outside of the seller’s property. How well or poorly that outside is maintained can make or break a deal. Furthermore, a home with fantastic curb appeal can often fetch a significantly higher list price than an equally-sized and equally-appointed home even if all other things are equal. There simply is no undervaluing the advantages of a good outer shine. So how do you boost your home’s or your investment property’s curb appeal? The exact manners will depend upon the specifics of the property but a few great ways to work on the property’s curb appeal include:
- Powerwashing all walkways and, where applicable, the vinyl siding (take care, however, to wash at a recommended pressure with vinyl and similar materials)
- Plant flowers or bring in extra potted plants to accentuate patios, porches, and similar entryways
- Hire a lawn maintenance company to professionally mow and trim any and all overgrown greenery
- Incorporate an outdoor sitting area, even if it’s as small as a cafe table with two chairs
Always Keep in Mind What You’d Want to See as a Buyer
If you are struggling with selling your home or getting the prices you want on an investment property, then one thing to look at is how you are staging the house. Home staging is about bringing in or arranging the existing furnishings and decor to make the property look its best. The idea is to use the materials on hand to accentuate the property’s good features and entice potential homebuyers into imagining themselves as owners of the property.
Home staging is an intentional process and whether you are selling your personal home or you are investing in real estate with your IRA, getting it right can be rough.
What Should You Do If You Want To Stage Your Home
If you want to get the most out of staging your home, there are several steps that you need to take. These include:
- Place a welcome mat on the front step. Even if there is only a tiny step, a simple doormat can go a long way. Think about flanking with welcome mat with one or two pieces of beautiful porch furniture. There is never a second chance to make a first impression and creating a welcoming environment is an important first step.
- Hire professional cleaners. Cleanliness is one of the most important steps in this includes not only the outside of the home but also the inside as well. Therefore, make sure the floor sparkle, ensure the windows shine, and make sure that every single line of grout is perfectly scrubbed. Even though it is possible to handle these steps in a DIY manner, hiring professional cleaners is simply going to provide a bigger return on this investment.
- Hide the clutter. When potential homebuyers arrive, they want to be able to imagine the future they might have in that home. This is going to be incredibly challenging if there is a lot of clutter on the floor. Make sure these items are put away. Better yet, start packing them for the move. If there is a way to put them in storage, this is going to be even better.
- Do not forget about the dining room table. When it comes to decorating the home for a staging process, this is often a blind spot. When there is not a meal taking place, a large and empty dining room table can look bare and uninviting. Therefore, make sure to style it so that people can see the appeal. Think about placing some smaller vessels in the center of the table with an area rug underneath. This will make the dining room seem more inviting.
- Put away family photos. Even though placing a personal touch on a home is nice, people are going to have a hard time imagining living in a home if someone else’s family photos are in the area. Make sure to put them away in a safe place so they can be deployed in the new home.
- Finally, try to keep the closets open. Ideally, the clutter is going to be put away and the closets are going to be organized. Spacious closets are major selling point of homes, particularly in the bedrooms. Therefore, make sure to take full advantage of them. All toys should be put away and it should be easy to see the floors in the closet.
By taking these steps, you will present your home in the best manner possible. That way, you can make the best impression possible on not only the inspector and the home appraiser but also potential home buyers and their real estate agents. This will drive up the value of your property by soliciting more offers, increasing its curb appeal, and making a positive during the selling process.
