When selling your home in Reston, you want to attract as many potential buyers as possible. Home staging will kick your home’s appeal up a notch, which translates to more visits from potential buyers and a shorter time on the market.
Home staging is a way to help potential buyers envision your house as their own. With home staging, you will emphasize your home’s best qualities, while minimizing any weaknesses. Highlight a gourmet kitchen with stylish touches and lots of open space. Transform a small bedroom with artfully placed furniture and minimalist decorative accents. Your realtor can connect you with professional home stager, which can cost an average of $2,300 to $3,200 according to Fixr.com. If this price doesn’t fit your budget, cut costs by focusing on just a few rooms in your house. You can also save money by doing some home staging yourself. Here’s how!
Step 1: Clear that Clutter
One of the easiest, though sometimes challenging ways to begin the process of staging your home is to get rid of clutter. Go through your possessions and get rid of all the things you no longer need, use, or want. Selling or donating unnecessary items will instantly give your home a lighter feel. As a bonus, you’ll be saving money by not having to pay to move unnecessary things.
Step 2: Create a Neutral Palette
You may love your “green tea” kitchen and “royal blue” dining room, but tastes vary and bold colors could be a big turn-off to potential buyers. Most buyers find neutral colors most appealing, and your home will look fresh, polished, and updated.
Step 3: Make Your Home Sparkle
No one wants to buy a dirty house. Dirty floors, sticky counters, and scuffed walls send a psychological signal that other things are probably wrong with the house. Whether you have your house cleaned professionally or do it yourself, attention to detail is key. In your day-to-day life, you may not notice a cobweb in a corner of the ceiling, but a buyer surely will!
Step 4: Remove Personal Items
It will be hard for buyers to envision your home as their own if your family photos and other personal items dominate. Pack up your photos (one less thing to pack later) and any other items that do not contribute to a “model home” vibe.
Step 5: Play with Room Arrangement
With a “model home” vision in mind, walk through each room of your house. Could your furniture be arranged in a more attractive and inviting way? Would a piece create a more polished look if moved to a different room? Looking at the rooms in your home with a fresh perspective can open up a world of opportunities to create a stylish, inviting décor. If you’re feeling stuck, ask a trusted friend to walk through your house with you and give you their suggestions about how to change and rearrange.
Step 6: Curb Appeal is Real
Make sure everything from the curb to your front door is in tip-top condition. Grass that is cut and edged, neatly trimmed trees and shrubs, clean outside light fixtures, and a clean and clear walkway will do a lot to create a good first impression.