How to Stage Your Home to Get it SOLD!

If you’re thinking about listing your house this summer, consider some of these expert tips on how to prep your home in order to get it SOLD! Yes, some of these projects may take up an entire weekend, but it will be worth it in the end when a buyer comes along and wants to purchase your beautiful home. For more great tips, call or text our Listing Specialist, Terra Myers, and she can give you personalized advice specifically for your home. You can reach Terra at (405) 474-4242. Now, set yourself up for success with these 10 home staging tips that will make your space sparkle!

1. Improve Curb Appeal

Many times potential buyers drive by a home before their showing to check out the neighborhood and see the exterior condition of the home. Don’t cause potential buyers to quickly check your home off the list because of overgrown flower beds and a dingy front door! Below are a few projects to put on the list help improve curb appeal:

• Mow lawn and add fresh sod in areas where it’s needed
• Wash the windows inside and out
• Add a fresh coat of paint to your front door
• Power wash walkways and the sides of your house
• Plant flowers and other fresh greenery
• Update your house numbers so they are easily spotted

2. Create an Inviting Porch

Nothing says “welcome home” than potted plants in bloom, cozy furniture, and a clean door mat. If you don’t have a porch, be sure to buy a new door mat and add a wreath to your door — it will certainly make a big difference! If the showing is after dark, don’t forget to turn on the front porch light or add some solar lights around your sidewalk as a nice extra touch.

3. Get Rid of All the Clutter

This is probably the hardest task for most home sellers, but the clutter has to go if you’re serious about staging your home to sell. This includes on countertops throughout your home, closets, bathrooms, and even inside your cupboards. The less people see, the bigger your home will appear and will give it a “move-in ready” feel. Even if you need to rent offsite storage, we highly recommend it as this will make a big difference in how your home shows.

4. Clean, Clean, Clean!

After all the clutter is removed, it’s now time to get down to business on removing all the dirt and grim from your home. Clean every room in your home and do not forget to wash the floors, scrub all grout, and make sure every surface is free of dust. You may even consider hiring out to get this time-consuming job done. Either way, this is extremely important as you want buyers to walk into your home see that it’s been well-maintained.

5. Add Style to Your Dining Room Table

A vase with fresh flowers and plates/flatware set out on a table can increase appeal in your dining room! You can even add your glasses, place mats, a napkins, but keep in mind to keep things clean and simple and not cluttered.

6. Rearrange Your Furniture

This can be more difficult than you think! The way your furniture is arranged can either make or break a room. Especially in the living room, symmetrical arrangements typically work the best. Making sure furniture is off of the walls and and there’s enough walkways will create the inviting room you want.

7. Neutrals are Key

If your home is in need of new wall paint, be sure to choose paint that fall within the white,  gray, beige, or “greige” categories. These are the colors that most buyers are looking for these days! Buyers will feel relieved buying a newly painted house which will encourage them all the more to commit to writing an offer.

8. Use Bonus Rooms/Extra Bedrooms Wisely

Although you may be storing boxes in this room right now, we recommend you find another location for the boxes and turn this room into a second living room or actual bedroom. It’s important to clearly define it’s use, which in turn will help potential buyers visualize the space for their own purposes. Whether you borrow furniture from a friends home or find inexpensive pieces to add, making this room into a functional space will have a big payoff.

9. Be Careful About Pet Odors

If you have a family pet that stays indoors most days, it might be a good time to increase the number of times you bath your dog/cat and invest in a Scentsy candle to help with any lingering odors. You may also consider having all rugs steam cleaned as well as your carpets cleaned. Lastly, be sure to put away all pet toys and bones before each showing!

10. Staging Outdoor Spaces

Last but not least, create an outdoor space in your backyard that’s inviting and makes potential buyers feel at home! Even if your back patio is small, play it up with a cute table and chairs and a colorful table cloth to brighten things up a bit. Also, adding some hanging or potted plants will give it that personal touch!