Home Staging Tips

Home owners who are putting their homes up for sale must be aware of the importance of staging their home. Why is staging a home important? Because staging a home is all about maximizing the potential of a home and minimizing its flaws with the end goal of receiving the best possible value of the home, in the shortest time frame possible, and doing so in the most economical way.

There are many tricks to the trade that home owners can use and the internet is a great source for finding these ideas, tips and techniques. Some of the ways home owners, real estate agents or home stagers can show the home in the best possible light are as follows:

1. De-clutter by removing all knick knacks, photos, souvenirs, personal items, mess, etc.
2. Clean all rooms from top to bottom, vacuum carpets, wash dishes, and ensure everything is dust free
3. Deodorize, this is particularly important if there are pets, smokers or cooking smells. Place fresh flowers as centerpieces
4. Organize closet and storage areas. Remove junk and place extraneous items into storage
5. Address any and all repairs
6. Countertops and shelves should not be filled with food and appliances. You want your kitchen space to appear large, clean and functional
7. Ensure there is good lighting by keeping blinds / drapes drawn, replace burnt out light bulbs
8. Have soft background music playing in the background
9. Ensure each room has a set function
10. Ensure traffic flow is smooth and uninterrupted by ensuring proper placement of furniture

Statistics show that potential buyers make their decision to purchase your home in the first 60 seconds upon seeing a house. Statistics also show that well staged homes sell for 40-50% faster than their competition. First impression is the key to selling your home fast and for top dollar. Ideally, using an accredited and experienced Home Stager who is trained to identify how best to stage or show a house is the best route to take, but in today’s difficult financial times, in an effort to save cost, home owners can learn the tricks and techniques themselves.

There are numerous resources on the internet for ideas on how to stage homes. In today’s troubled real estate market where the competition is stiff and home owners must do their utmost to tap the most value out of their homes as possible. Houses must show well and compete with other similar houses for sale in the same neighborhood or area. Home staging is a great option as costs can be minimized (controlled by home owner) and simple do it yourself techniques implemented that can truly raise the value of a home.

Maria Desing is a contributor of popular blog http://www.homestagingschool.com. She writes informative articles on topics like home staging, selling your home, home evaluations and more! Learn more about home staging when you visit the site today!