Staging Tips to Help Your Home Sell...
Whipping your place into its most
marketable shape might land you a buyer with a dream offer.
And it might all spring from a terrific open house—the kind where
every attendee is entranced, the hors d’oeuvres are delicious, and
nothing remotely goes wrong.
You don’t have to hire a pro home
stager and rent all new furniture to get the look buyers love. We asked agents
and home staging experts for their secret staging hacks. Here are nine little
moves that have a great impact for minimal effort or money.
1.
Strip the windows
“Light and bright is what sells,”
says Randy Wine, a real
estate agent in Rutherford, NJ. So pack away your curtains. “They might be
beautiful, but they’ll darken and date the room. You can leave the sheers, but
take down the drapes.”
Pull the blinds all the way up. “If
blinds are left in the down but open position, that can reduce light by 50%
over the course of the day,” says Justin M. Riordan, founder of Spade and
Archer Design Agency in Portland, OR. And make sure your windows are sparkling
clean; they let in more light and just look nicer, too.
2.
White-out the bathroom
Just as hotels use white items to
reinforce the idea that they’re clean, white in the bathroom makes things
look fresh and new.
“Even if you can’t replace cabinets
or countertops, at least purchase fresh white towels,” says Sheila Schostok of Your Home Matters Staging
& Redesign in Lake County, IL. And add a white shower curtain, white soap
dish, and new white bathmat (though, if your bathroom floor is a selling
point, skip the bathmat).
3.
Update kitchen fixtures
You don’t need to replace
the countertops or even paint to give your kitchen an update. The solution is
simpler and cheaper.
“Replacing an old light fixture with a nice
modern one from Home Depot can do a lot to improve the look of your kitchen,”
says Wine.
If your drawer pulls and cabinet
knobs look dated, swap them out for the style and finish that’s most
sought-after in your area, whether that’s brushed nickel or polished brass—ask
your broker what’s hot.
4.
Flip every switch
Lighting up the house by turning on
every lamp and overhead light will make prospective buyers confident that you
have nothing to hide. Remember, you’re not trying to create “atmosphere” like
you would at a dinner party—you’re showcasing a product for sale. Place floor
lamps in dark corners. “An inexpensive, high-intensity floor lamp directed at
the ceiling can do a lot to make a room look bigger and brighter,” says Wine.
5.
Replace wall art with mirrors
Whether your walls feature fine art
or family photos, swap those personal pieces out for a large mirror on one or
two key walls. Since people’s taste in art varies a lot, you should hide
prominent paintings or art photographs unless you are confident they have broad
appeal.
“Mirrors have the advantage of
maximizing light to make rooms look bigger and brighter,” says Wine. If you
have a nice backyard, try placing a mirror on the wall across from the window
that looks out on the yard, so the greenery will be reflected and visible from
multiple angles in the room.
6.
Roll up rugs
Hardwood floors are a major selling
point for most buyers, and a rug that’s even slightly stained or tattered is a
turn-off. So don’t hide wood floors, unless they’re a mess or your rugs are
classic and pristine. Always remove area rugs from your kitchen, because the
room will feel cleaner and more spacious without them.
7.
Swap out lampshades
To make a room look more light,
clean, and modern, replace any old lampshades for new white drum shades, which
are cheap and readily available at Ikea and Target.
8.
Set the table
Elaborate table settings can have an
overly staged look, but if your dining room table has seen better days or the
room could use some livening up, set the table with simple modern place
settings from CB2 or Bed Bath & Beyond. Go for modern white
plates, sleek stainless-steel cutlery, and stemless wine glasses atop neutral-hued
place mats or a tablecloth. If the room could use a touch of color, add
vibrant napkins.
9.
Add a metallic accent
Making a room look more luxurious
and contemporary is as easy as adding a metallic accessory or two—like a silver
leather throw pillow, a bronze side table or garden stool, or a copper tray.
“Metallics add visual appeal, but
they’re less controversial than color,” says Wine. “They’re like glamorous
neutrals.”
From realtor.com
Stacy Sheeley & Associates
Las Vegas Realtor
Realty One Group
stacy@lvteamrealty.com
702.292.9064
www.ilovesummerlinhomes.com
