Adding value to a home for sale does not always require costly renovations or repairs. A well-staged property is memorable and inviting and showcases a lifestyle buyers are looking for. This alone can have a dramatic influence on a buyer’s interest! When you include staging as part of your plan to market a home, all kinds of listings go from good or better to BEST.
Home staging is all about telling a current, cohesive story and is a compelling way to appeal to the widest audience of interested buyers within a variety of property search parameters. Media has normalized a dream standard that buyers are hoping to see -- in every price range. Delivering this "look" in an occupied listing can be tricky. Too much stuff will hide even the best floor plan and dated interiors can, unfortunately, reflect poorly on a home's worth. Most people are familiar with the practice of depersonalizing decor and downsizing a seller’s stuff, but good staging will also creatively combine updated elements that highlight the lifestyle of the neighborhood or underscore the asking price.
Use these timely trends to stage your listings and get more buyers in the door with photos that sell:
Welcome and cozy is paramount! After the year we've all had, buyers will be heading out the door quickly if a home doesn't at least whisper "Come on in, sit and stay awhile!" Create welcome entries with healthy green plants and woven rugs, invite cozy sanctuary moments with soft textured blankets, drop a hint of serene in the bath with spa fluffed towels or suggest a relaxing read with a fluffy footstool and a side of books and coffee. Be sure to set a bright mood with as much natural light and layers of lighting from room to room.
Niches within open spaces- Folks still love a spacious open concept, but adding some flexibility to that floor plan has become more appealing. Carving out functional niches for individual activity within larger spaces is increasingly popular. As a nod to this growing necessity, buyers may appreciate seeing not just one home office but possibly two, dedicated school/homework hubs, private corners carved out for gaming or yoga, crafting closets, and even good old-fashioned reading nooks.
Outdoor spaces - Sellers get more points now than ever for outdoor living spaces! So pressure wash the patio or stain the deck, string some lights, gather some comfy chairs around a fire pit or a big beverage bucket, pave a walk to a potting shed or plant a raised garden bed. A meticulously trimmed lawn, refined landscape and a well defined place to entertain outside will sell easy living and buyers will be smelling the BBQ.
Designing with organization - Even though Marie Kondo has opted to embrace more mess, it seems an obsession with home organizing is not going away any time soon. Anywhere a seller can capitalize on acute organization is a win. If bedroom closets are not already upfitted for order, DIY closet systems come in a wide range of easy install packages. Surprise potential buyers with color-sorted wardrobes on matching hangers and coordinated bins that say "Look how much room there is in here!" Show off pantry shelves with lazy susans of canned goods and baskets of snacks and staples and sparkling Perriers. Neatly stack rolled towel sets in the linen closet with toilet paper pyramids. Or just hang actual coats in coat closets with nothing junking up the floors. Honestly, ample storage is on every buyer's wish list and it's a simple fix to make sure they see all the space they can get.
Color - Gray is not gone, but it is no longer the solo act it once was. Neutrals are still your safest bet for wall colors, but the forever popular cool grays have stepped off the stage to make way for more beige tones than before. Either way, if repainting an entire home is not in the seller's budget, the options for a quick refresh are not impossible. Earth tones pair well with a neutral base, so, for a nice refresh, sellers might want to consider them as accent colors for an easy update. Think toasty golds, inky blues, rich greens and even sunset shades to create drama in small rooms, update cabinetry, tile, or painted brick, make a statement on an accent wall behind a bed, or design a dramatic backdrop for a photo or art gallery. Luckily, the black-white-gray tones of the last decade play well with the surge of bright and sultry colors popping up now in home accents everywhere. It's always a good idea to replace worn bedding, rugs, blankets and towels and these are pretty easy to find already coordinated for you in the latest color palettes on Target aisles or on a Pottery Barn page.
Smart updates - Home automation devices can control everything from lamps to locks and adding these make a home look... well, smart. (And doesn't everyone want to make a smart home purchase?) Given the sheer number of simple and affordable gadgets out there that can save time or energy, and the ease of installation, they deserve strong consideration on a seller's punch list. Check out this list of smart devices for every room in the house.
Successful staging doesn't take a lot of time, but if a seller doesn't have the energy or doesn't know where to start, hiring a professional stager to groom those listing photos is an investment that will more than pay for itself. A consultation with Room Revisions offers affordable assessments to get you motivated with a complete DIY checklist or a plan for full staging services.
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