Selling your home is an important and sometimes stressful decision but can be made easier when due processes are followed. A common way through which homeowners prepare their property for sale in the real estate sector is Home Staging.
Home staging is done to portray the unique selling point of the property, its assets and features so as to attract as many buyers as possible. In home staging, specific areas in the house are usually focused on to get the best results such as the kitchen, bedrooms, living rooms, bathrooms and sometimes the outdoor spaces as well.
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What Does Home Staging Mean in Real Estate?
Home Staging basically entails the different activities carried out in making a home look attractive and presentable to a potential buyer. These activities range from rearranging, redecorating, decluttering, removing personal items, cleaning, and even to employing aesthetic strategies in order to make the home look as appealing as possible.
Home staging can be carried out by the homeowner or the services of a professional can be employed to do so. Staged homes have been known to sell faster because it looks better on picture and attracts more buyers.
Benefits of Home Staging
Home Staging comes with many benefits for both the buyer and the seller. It helps the buyer envision what it would be like living in the house or apartment. Some other benefits are;
Home Staging draws on the emotional side of the buyer as they can already begin to imagine themselves living in the home. This could spur them to take the decision of buying the house. It also makes the house appear ready for them to move in at any time without having to carry out major repairs or renovation.
Home staging makes it easier for the seller to market the home because it looks better and more attractive.
Home Staging adds value to your property and increases its listing price and this is very necessary especially in a competitive market
Home staging takes away the pressure of not knowing what to do with certain spaces in the house from the buyer. Each room is defined and serves as an example of how they should live in the home.
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Cost of Home Staging
The cost of home staging varies depending on how you choose to go about it. If you want to do it yourself it might cost you less, but also be more time consuming as you may not have the necessary expertise to get it done efficiently.
On the other hand, hiring a professional staging company or stager would cost you more but can also guarantee best results as compared to doing it yourself.
Other factors that could affect the cost of home staging include the size of the house, the location and the extent of the staging. This is why it is always advisable to choose which areas of the house you want to stage in order to save cost.
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Home Staging Tips
Here are some tips to follow in home staging so it can be successful and achieve its goal.
Cleanliness- In home staging, cleaning is a very important activity as it shows that the property is in good shape and well taken care of. Every area of the house to be staged should be clean and sparkling. The bathrooms and kitchen should be thoroughly cleaned to get rid of any dull surfaces.
Decluttering- When carrying out a home staging process, try to make the objects in the home as minimal as possible. This is to make the home look more spacious and also help your buyers focus on what you want them to focus on without any distractions. Unnecessary items can be stored or done away with to make the house look presentable and uncluttered.
Lights- Ensure that the house is well lit up both with natural and artificial light. Lights help to create mood, make the home more inviting and appealing. You can open up the blinds or curtains when home staging so that the house can be well lit and also aerated.
Scent- Bad smell can be a huge turn off for anyone including the buyers. So it is important to make sure your home smells nice. Many things can make a house smell such as damp towels, leftover food or bathrooms that are not well cleaned. All of these should be taken care of and topped up with a good air freshener.
Nature- Having a touch of nature in a home makes it look inviting and feel healthy. You can include fresh flowers or plants in your home to make it more refreshing. Of course it should not be cluttered, but well spaced if you want more than one vase to achieve its purpose.
Floor- The floor of the home is another important area that many people overlook. There is nothing inviting about stained rugs and carpets, or broken tiles. You can change the carpets or rugs or take them for thorough cleaning if you have to improvise.
Walls- It is best to play it safe by using mild, warm and neutral colors of paint or wallpaper on your walls when home Staging. While you might like loud colors for your living room or bedroom, it could be a turn off for your buyer.
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Home staging is a valuable investment that helps homeowners sell their home faster. However, you should spend according to your budget allocated for the process. Also note that the goal is to appeal to a wide range of buyers as this would increase your home’s value.
At MKH, we are intentional about helping you turn your assets into tools for generating maximum profit. You can contact us here for more details.