How to Prepare Your House for Professional Home Staging

April 17, 2016

The key to selling your home quickly and for top dollar is to create that emotional connection with home buyers and offering them a better lifestyle they dream of through home staging. As professional home stagers, we accomplish this through proper use furniture and accessory selection and placement.

As homeowners, these are some steps that you can do in advance to a faster, stress-free and a more efficient staging installation.

Purge

Go throughout your home and eliminate anything you no longer use or want. This is the perfect time to donate, sell, or get rid of furniture pieces you no longer use or home appliances that are inoperable.  Rent a storage unit if you have too much furniture but wish to use it in your new home. You ‘ll be amazed at how much larger your home will appear. Your goal should be to show off as much space as you can when selling; your buyers are looking for that extra space, storage, and more living space that they currently don’t have.

Repaint

Paint colour is the first thing home buyers notice when visiting your home. If the interior walls of your home are wearing dated or bold paint colours from the 70’s or 80’s, repaint them a timeless neutral colour like grey, beige, or tan. Neutral works with everything, it’s nonoffensive, it always works with staging furniture pieces and accessories, and more importantly, it’s easy for buyers to see or imagine how their own furniture pieces will work in your house. Use one colour throughout so your home doesn’t look chopped-up or smaller. Stagers, can bring in colours through artworks, furnishings, and accessories.

Repair

Ensure there is no water leaking from plumbing pipes. You don’t want your buyer walking into a puddle on the floor. Fix any broken, damaged, or inoperable appliances and lighting fixtures, too. Passing your “to do” list to your buyers is not a good idea, more often than not, most buyers are looking for a home that is completed and ready for them to move in.

Replace

Remove dated appliances, dated lighting, and plumbing fixtures, cabinet pulls, worn switch plates, door hardware and exchange them for newer items that are trending now. These are inexpensive updates that yield great results when selling. If you’re not sure on how to tackle this or what to choose, ask your stager for recommendations on these items.

Clean

Where is that dust, dirt, and grime that buyers will notice during their tour of your home? Could it be on light switches, doors, faucets, door handles, cabinets, floors, banisters, windows, lighting fixtures, air vents, the TV, furniture, appliances, sinks, showers, tubs, toilets, ceilings or walls?  Do a thorough cleaning to show buyers your home is well-maintained and worth every penny that you are asking. Consider a professional cleaning service and give your house a deep cleaning needed so that it will show better. Nobody wants a dirty home.

Lighten and Brighten

If your home is appearing dark and you are getting a feeling of heaviness, you ‘ll need to remove any heavy drapery that may be causing it. You want the optimal amount of light showcasing the amenities of your home when buyers take the tour of it.  Lighter window treatments like sheers and shades which can be raised are perfect replacements. Make sure your lamps and lighting work so you can turn them on during showings. Proper lighting is important when selling your home.

Curb Appeal

It doesn’t take long for a buyer to form a first impression of your home.  Make sure the exterior of your home is well-maintained and inviting. A manicured lawn, trimmed trees and shrubbery, and an attractive house and front door colours will make a buyer feel as if he has found a place he wants to call home.

Following these seven key steps to prepare your house for professional home staging will help your buyers realize the full potential of your property and convince them that your home is worth the listing price or more.

Red Barrinuevo | Your Toronto Home Stager

Is a Canadian Certified Staging Professional. His professional affiliations include the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) and the CSP. He is the recipient of numerous home staging awards and was picked as RESA’s Top Professional Stager of Canada for 2016. He has worked with hundreds of Real Estate Brokers, Investors, Real Estate Agents, and has helped home owners showcase their homes at its best when it is time to sell.

As President and Principal Stager of REDESIGN4MORE, Red provides home staging and interior redecorating services for both small and large-scale residential projects throughout Toronto and the GTA. Click here to learn more about Red and REDESIGN4MORE.