Selling your home can be a tricky process; any number of things can change a potential buyer’s mind and turn them off from the sale. There are plenty small little things that you yourself can do to help sell your home faster and by following our top 10 simple DIY home staging tips you’ll be saving yourself money.
Curb Appeal
First impressions are everything. The front of your house is the first thing any potential buyer will see which makes it just as important as the master bedroom. Simple things like making sure the lawn is freshly cut and having the leaves raked and thrown away helps the buyer see an easily maintained home. Give the front door a fresh coat of paint and hang or add a small potted plant near the entrance.
Sounds Like Home
Atmosphere plays a big part in how an environment feels to a person, during an open house having very soft ambient music playing in the background not only adds a soothing element to the space that buyers are walking into but it can also mask the sounds of neighbours or nearby traffic. Remember though this is not a party and you don’t want the music to be a focal point, it’s simply a tool for creating a relaxing environment.
The Nose Knows
A smell stays with a person for a long time and is said to be tied to memories, when your potential buyer leaves your home you want their memories of it to be lasting and positive. Scented candles and mists can be overpowering for some and may cause the opposite intended reaction, an alternative and more visually appealing tactic can be to use a vase of fresh flowers as a focal point in the living or dining room, even if the buyer is not beside the flowers the sight of them will still elicit the illusion of a fragrance.
There’s A Certain Air About It
Fresh air is a wonderful thing, it’s great for the body but did you know it’s great for selling your home? Cracking a window or two on each level of the house can drastically increase air flow through the house as well as help push out any stale air that may be lingering in rooms where the windows have been closed, a stuffy house is not something a prospective buyer wants to walk into. If it’s currently winter leaving a window or two open during the viewing may not be an option, but you can open the windows a couple hours before the viewing to allow fresh air through your home and then shut them in order to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Cleanliness is Key
It goes without saying you’re going to want to clean your house from top to bottom and then back again, when time is short most people will hire a cleaning team to come in and do a deep clean on the rugs and wash the walls and while effective can be costly. If a cleaning crew was in the back of your mind consider renting or finding a friend who has a deep cleaning wetvac and doing it yourself, it may take a little longer but once you create a spotless house ready for viewing it will be easy to keep up with a few cleaning sessions each day to ensure it remains spotless and for a fraction of the cost of a hiring a team.
Clutter Catastrophy
You may have cleaned from top to bottom and created an inviting environment for the senses but all of that preparation can be undone by unsightly clutter, do you have work folders and reports laid out on your work desk in the study? It may seem small and insignificant but little things like this can alter a potential buyer’s perception, will they see themselves living in this house or toiling away in a home office. If the clutter is on the larger scale think of donating any unneeded objects to charities or shelters that may be able to use them if they are objects you do see yourself using in the future look into a small storage locker or as friends or family if you can store an item or two during the viewing period.
Eye Spy
The eye is naturally drawn to subtle nuances in every room we enter whether it be the chipping paint on a door frame or a slight discolouration of the cupboards or walls. All these small factors have the ability to change how someone sees your home. Ask a trusted friend to do a walkthrough of each room in your house and ask them what their eye is drawn to first this will help determine problem areas that may be focused in on by a potential buyer, it may sound cliché but hanging pictures can be a surprisingly effective method of masking chipped paint or peeling wallpaper.
Mr. Fix-It
Are you handy with a toolbox? No? Well don’t worry chances are you know somebody who has a bit of experience in simple home repairs that can help you with a few quick fixes; this can help make your house become a home for a new buyer and all without having to break the bank on a repairman. Examine your cabinets and cupboards for any stiff movements or squeaks and have them quickly taken care of; be sure to have any leaks or drips tightened. Remember you’re not doing a full renovation you just want to fix the noticeable small problems that can begin to add up to a buyer.
Depersonalize
You’ve spent years turning your house into a home and making it your own but when potential buyers are viewing the space they are trying to picture their lives in your house and your personalities might not match up, you want to create a “showroom” feel and not a live in home. Remove family photos, trophies or anything similar by doing this you create a blank canvas for the buyer making it easier for them to visualize their own items in house so they can transform it from house to home.
Re-Arrange
One of the final steps of staging your home is the arrangement of your furniture, taking the time to position furniture to best utilize the space can be the make or break decision on whether or not the individual wants to put in an offer. If you have large windows or a fireplace arrange your furniture facing these objects, it will give the illusion of a larger space and furniture arranged around a fireplace can help create a cozy feeling to the area.
The process of selling your home is a stressful task, we hope these DIY staging tips help relieve a little bit of the seller stress and save you some money in the process!
