How to stage a property to get the best price in the shortest amount of time

How to stage a property to get the best price in the shortest amount of time


Staging your property is the best way to get the best possible price in the shortest amount of time, and this guide will help you to stage your property in the most effective manner.


While there are plenty of room-specific staging tips, if you're on a limited budget, it's best to focus on bigger-picture improvements and on the areas that will make the biggest difference to your sale price.


If you are pushed for time or money, the main areas to focus on with respect to staging are:


  • The exterior and entrance to your home

  • Living room

  • Kitchen and bathroom

  • The master bedroom

  • Outdoor living spaces


If you have the time and money, you should aim to stage your entire home but if you need to focus your energy somewhere then those rooms above are the places to start. Your actions in staging your property should include the following steps:


Cleaning


While potential buyers are delighted to see new kitchen appliances in your home, they will settle for seeing a spotless kitchen. The same applies to the bathroom and these are two areas of the home where you should be aiming to clean, clean and clean again until you have these rooms looking as good as they possibly can.


Remove the clutter


Clutter is one of the most common failings that blight the ambitions of people selling their home. Clutter will detract and distract from the positive aspects of your home and it will also make your home seem smaller. Add in the fact that clutter will give the impression that you don’t have any storage space and you have a lot of reasons why clutter will cause a potential buyer to turn away from your home.


Remove the personal elements around your home


If you want to sell your home, you want to make sure the potential buyer can see themselves living in the home. If your property is filled with personal artefacts and memories of you and your loved ones, it can make it difficult for people to picture this house as anything other than your house. There is a lot to be said for creating the sense of a blank canvas when it comes to selling your home.


Neutralise nasty smells


Whether you have pets, small children or there is something not quite right about your home, you need to work hard on ensuring it smells okay. You may have come immune to the smell of your home so this may be a task that you need help with. You want to remove anything which causes bad smells, you want to neutralise the lingering odours and there is also a great deal to be said for improving the smell of your home with fresh coffee, candles or baking.


Ensure each room has a defined purpose


You should be looking to maximise the available space in each room but there is also a lot to be said for ensuring that every room in your home has a clear and distinct purpose. Rather than having a room where things get placed for storage or left to lie around, use the space accordingly and show that your property has functionality in every room.


Redecorate


Giving your home a fresh look is a very sensible idea when it comes to staging your home. You should look to make your home as fresh as possible and you should also choose neutral colours. You may think that a bright orange paintjob will make your home memorable but it is unlikely to be memorable for the right reasons.


Can you improve the flooring?


Improving the flooring takes time and money so it isn’t something that is available for every property owner. At the very least you need to make sure that your floors are clean and tidy but if you have a chance to invest in flooring, wooden floors are a great option. This is because they add elegance and value while being a low maintenance option.


Other aspects to focus on include:


  • Furniture – renting furniture can provide a better feel and more functionality

  • Lighting – Try to have as much natural light in your rooms as possible

  • Exterior – The outside of your home will often create the first impression so make sure it is welcoming and attractive

  • Walls and ceilings – Be sure to check for cracks in the walls and ceilings of your properties and if there are any, fix them immediately

  • Final touches – Aspects like flowers, allowing fresh air into your home and using freshly folded towels can add a lot to your room at short notice


Finding the time and money to properly stage your home can be difficult but doing so will bring about significant benefits in the long term.