Home Staging Do’s and Don’ts

Home staging aims to make your home more attractive to buyers, in turn helping sell your home more quickly. When your home does sell, it’s likely to sell for more money if it’s properly staged. Even if you don’t hire a professional service, there are easy ways to self-stage your home–and sabotage it, if you’re not careful. If you’re planning on selling your home soon, learn what you can do for home staging.

Do Clean Your Home Thoroughly

Cleaning is the first step of staging. When cleaning for staging purposes, homeowners must clean more deeply and thoroughly than they normally would. This can involve deep cleaning upholstery, curtains, and out-of-reach places like ceiling fans. Take steps like hiring a professional carpet or tile cleaner, or have the exterior pressure-washed. Deep cleaning before a home showing can take a long time, so start early and plan ahead. Home sellers short on time may want to hire a professional to do the cleaning for them.

Don’t Leave Your Pet and Pet Accessories in the Home

We love our pets, but the reality is they innocently can damage a home. Some pets have accidents on the carpet, while others chew up the walls or get dander all over the house, which can exacerbate allergies. Leaving a pet in the home during home showings reminds potential buyers that the home could be damaged in unseen ways by the animal who lives on the property. In addition, leaving pet accessories like half-chewed toys on the floor can make the house look messy and cluttered.

Homeowners who want to sell their homes for a high price should plan to take their pets with them during all home showings.  Make a mess-check walk-through a step before departing, and clean up any pet messes left before buyers come to see the house. This may even mean cleaning up the pet’s food dish and any leftover food by the bowl.

Do Paint the Walls

Freshly painted walls look clean and well-maintained. Homeowners painting their walls before buyers see their home should pick neutral paint colors to ensure that their house appeals to as many buyers as possible. Bold colors may not appeal to all buyers’ tastes and it is something they can do themselves.

Don’t Shove In The Closet

We’ve all been there: guests or people are coming over, and you only have minutes to straighten up. Common tactics like loading the dishwasher or stuffing messes in closets don’t work as well for home showings. Potential buyers want to see the storage space in a home, and if it’s cluttered with your stuff, it makes the closets and cabinets seem smaller. While cleaning your home, consider paring down your items and getting some space back in your storage spaces.

Do Contact a Real Estate Professional

A real estate professional can give you advice that can help you decide what else you can do to stage your home. They’ll consider how to move your furniture to highlight your home’s best features. Working with a real estate agent can make the home selling and buying process successful, so contact a reputable professional in your area today.

Updated December 2023