According to a recent consumer housing trends report, nearly half of home buyers said that having a home staged was somewhat, very, or extremely important in guiding their home-buying decision. And nearly 70% of recent buyers felt the same way about having the home empty or free of the seller’s belongings. You may not be able to move out or clear out your belongings when you’re selling your home, but these tips on how to stage a house for sale will help make your listing extra attractive to potential buyers.
DIY Home Staging Basics
Even if you cannot afford to hire a professional home stager to prepare your home for listing, there are some simple things you can do to set the stage for a quick sale.
Establish a single function for each room
Especially for families with young kids, it is not unusual for rooms to evolve into multi-functional spaces where lines blur between the room’s intended use and the purpose it now serves. A home office or bonus room serves as extra storage or a kids’ playroom. The basement bedroom is a music studio or an art room.
But for the purpose of selling your home, it’s important to reclaim rooms for their intended purpose. Your buyer will want to see bedrooms set up as bedrooms, dining rooms for dining, and home offices for working.
Declutter and depersonalize
If there’s only one thing you can manage to do to help prep your home for sale, this is it. You want to make your home as blank a canvas as possible by removing bulky furniture, personal photographs, kids toys, and other belongings throughout the house.
Complete a thorough edit of each room in the house and adopt a minimalist approach to furnishings and accents. This will maximize the spaciousness of each room and ensure home buyers aren’t put off or distracted by your stuff and can focus on the space instead.
Thoroughly clean (and keep it clean)
After the decluttering, it’s important to do a deep clean of the house to establish a baseline cleanliness that you will aim to maintain while your listing is on the market and people are coming for showings.
This includes walls, windows, carpets, light fixtures — you name it! Dirt, grime, and messiness are completely preventable distractions that should never get in the way of a potential offer on your home.
Invest in a few key storage items
Hidden storage pieces or, at minimum, storage with lids are ideal so that you can quickly stow toys, clothes, or other items whenever you have to vacate the house on short notice to accommodate a showing.
Put all kitchen and bathroom items like soap, shampoo, sponges, cloths, etc. in a caddy so they’re already gathered and easy to stow under the sink.
Manage (don’t mask) household odours
Resist the urge to run through the house with your favourite cinnamon pecan pumpkin room spray in an effort to cover up cooking smells, the litter box, or full diaper pails or garbage receptacles. Home buyers may be put off by intense fragrances and wonder what you are trying to cover up.
Remove garbage and any other sources of odour, and save the pungent culinary adventures until after an offer is made.
House staging checklist
It’s a good idea to run through a quick checklist to make sure your house is ready for every showing.
BEDROOMS
Make beds
Fold and drape accent blankets
Put all toys, clothes, etc. inside lidded bin
BATHROOM
Clear countertops
Stow bath products, cosmetics, and other items under the sink
Clean bathroom mirror of toothpaste and water spots
Clean toilets
KITCHEN
Clear countertops and put away all pots, pans, and dishes
Stow cleaning items under the sink
Wipe fingerprints and smudges from appliances and other shiny surfaces
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE
Remove electronics, cords, and valuables
Sweep/vacuum each room
Sweep front walkway
FINAL SWEEP
Turn on lights and open blinds
Empty garbages, litter box, diaper pail
Take pets with you
With over 15 years of experience in the Edmonton real estate market, Wally has helped hundreds of home sellers. From tips on how to stage a house to advice on pricing a home to sell, he’s happy to share his knowledge and help homeowners navigate the home selling experience with ease.
Call/text Wally at 780-238-7384 and arrange a consultation today! Check out Top Edmonton Real Estate for featured listings and search the Edmonton MLS.