Cut the Cost of Home Staging – 4 Top DIY Guidelines : Are you a home seller who’s interested in home staging? You probably are, seeing how popular staging has become recently. As it rightfully should because staging has proven itself to be beneficial to home sellers, realtors, and buyers alike. However, the cost of home staging by professional stagers is not a light one and it might prove too burdensome for some home sellers.
You do not have to forgo the benefits though just because you think you do not have the budget to hire a professional. You can actually do it yourself! The staging process can actually be learned and performed by the sellers themselves. This is why DIY or do-it-yourself staging has started to proliferate.
If you’re worried that you don’t know where to start, don’t be. I’ve compiled a short list of DIY staging steps that you can easily apply for your own home!
Here are 4 Fundamental Tips in Staging Your House:
1. Know the critical areas Home Buyers look at
Home buyers pay specific attention to areas of the house that most home sellers overlook. These areas are not quite the top priority for some home sellers but buyers tend to be quite critical to these things like your flooring or walls. For some sellers, these areas are just trivial aesthetic issues but for home buyers, it’s more than that.
Pay close attention to those areas because they might be the tie breaker your buyers are considering when choosing between your house and a different seller’s house. Don’t let any chance escape you.
2. Brighten up your home
You may not be aware of it, but your house has most likely become darker and darker inside since when you first move in. Look around and you’ll notice all the items you’ve added to your home over the years. You’ve probably put up curtains and blinds all over the place as well as big furniture. While you might be totally comfortable in this ambience, it might give off a different feel to your home buyers.
Dim houses might project a gloomy and unwelcome atmosphere to those who are visiting your house for the first time. Consider these points and make sure your house looks warm and welcoming to your buyers by improving your lighting.
3. Use moderate colors
Look at your house. Does it look good to you? Most likely, the answer is yes, right? After all, majority of home owners try to “break-in” their homes by adding a bit of their own flavors into the house. The same goes for the colors we choose when painting and decorating our houses.
The thing is, our personal tastes might not be shared by many other people. That’s why, it is best to choose moderate or neutral colors as you repaint your house when staging. The best look to go for when staging your house is the modern, fresh, and neutral look. Neutral colors have a more universal appeal and will therefore attract more buyers than strong or bright colors.
4. Make sure your house is clean
In the home staging context, “cleaning” is more than just taking out the trash and wiping out all the dust. “Cleaning” means removing all the clutter inside the house. This means keeping all your personal items away from your buyers’ sight. This includes your trophies, family pictures and other memorabilia that marks your identity as the home owner.
When touring a house, home buyers want to feel like they’ve found their new home. They are trying to imagine themselves living in their new house. Seeing all your personal items will distract them from doing that. It’s best to hide these things instead.
These are just a few of the many simple things you can do with your house. Follow these guidelines and you’ll surely be on your way to a successfully staged house, ready to be sold to eager home seekers. Good luck!