Have you heard of the term ‘house staging’ before? If you’ve not sold a house, then you might not have. It might sound complicated, but really, house staging is just preparing your home for sale by making it look it’s best. We’re not talking full scale makeover, just a few touch ups here and there. You might think that it’s not worth it, but studies have shown that doing a little bit of staging can increase the value of your home by 1-5%. So today, we’re going to share with you some easy and cheap home staging tips that could help you make the most out of your upcoming house sale.
Accent with Flowers and Plants
Bringing touches of nature into your home will instantly make it more inviting to home buyers. One of our favourite home staging tips is to add fresh (or fake) plants to empty corners and on surfaces, such as the kitchen counter or coffee table. This burst of colour brings nature into the home and freshens up the scent as well. If your entryway is bare, you could add a tall plant to the corner by the door or two flanking the doorway. You could also try adding colourful, plotted plants to your front entryway to improve your ‘curb appeal’ and make it a more welcoming place to walk into.
Fake a Spare Bedroom
You might think this one is a bit odd but hear us out. If you have a spare room that you aren’t using, or that’s just being used to store odds and sods you don’t have space for anywhere else, clear it out. Then grab an air mattress (either borrowed or pick up a cheap one from a charity shop) and stack it on top of some of your moving boxes. Then cover the mattress and boxes with a large sheet or a bedding skirt (if you happen to have one). Top with a set of bedding and cushions. If you have a spare table lying around, pop it next to it as a makeshift bedside table. Just like that, you’ve got an inviting guest suite that showcases what could be done with that spare room.
Declutter (But Don’t Overdo It)
The most important and cost-effective home staging tip we can give takes place before you even take the listing photos – and that’s declutter! Even if your home is well-organised already, it’s worth paring it down a bit more. Simple things like thinning down your wardrobe (which prospective buyers will peek into) to show off how spacious it is, or slimming the bookshelves down to just one row per shelf instead of 2. This helps you create a nice open and inviting space that doesn’t make the buyer feel like they are invading your life. However, it is possible to go overboard. If you strip away everything that makes that property your home, then it can feel very impersonal. Prospective buyers like to see a property that already feels like a home, so that they can imagine their own belongings in there more easily. So, try to create a minimalistic, homey feel, make sure it’s tidy for viewings and, top-tip, do remember to put the lid down on the WC before the buyers arrive.
Make the Place Cosy
You want your home to look warm and inviting and create the image of curling up with a good book or film in the minds of your viewers. So, wherever you can (and where it makes sense), add in some items to increase the cosy, homey factor. Put big plush cushions on the sofas, fresh linen and throws on the bed and a big soft rug on hardwood floors. Little touches like this really make a house feel inviting and comfortable without being too personal – which is exactly what you want.
Open the Doors
This is the easiest and cheapest thing you can do to increase the wow factor of your house. Just open all the doors! Make prospective buyers feel welcome and free to wander around your home by leaving doors open. Ensure the main selling points of a room can be seen from the doorway so that people are immediately impressed. And the doors themselves? Repaint or retreat them if they’re looking a bit worn, and it goes without saying that they should open and close without any problems.
At Northwood, we want to do everything we can to ensure you get the best price for your home. That means our experts are on hand to answer any questions, or to lend you a helping hand staging your home for viewing and pictures. If you would like any advice, or to start the process of listing your home, just get in touch with the team today.
