20 Sep Who Says You Need a Professional Home Stager? [DIY GUIDE]

Self-staging your home to attract buyers is not as hard or expensive as you may think. You don’t need special training to put in a bit of sweat and hard work to make your home inviting to prospective buyers. Sometimes it is actually harder for homeowners to stage their home due to emotional and sentimental issues than it is to spend the time and money to get it done. This could very well be a reason that professional stagers are hired. They are impartial to your belongings and sentimental items, they have no issues parting with something you have not touched in years but cannot seem to get rid of. Professional staging can be pricey and not fit in your budget, it is relatively inexpensive to DIY your staging.

Do these 5 things to make your home appealing to buyers

1. Add New

New paint, new switch covers, new lighting in levels (lamps, bulbs, feature lights), accents and accessories. The rooms should look fresh, clean, light, open. Replace old window dressings with sheers or light enhancing blinds that allow plenty of natural light in

2. Curb Appeal

Do not forget or shirk on the outside of the home. This is the first impression the buyers have of the home. Make it inviting, pretty and clean. Power wash the exterior of the home, the driveway, sidewalks, patios and decks. Tend the landscape: mow the lawn, trim bushes, add mulch for a very cheap finished look. Group potted plants near entrance in a trio if you have space. Ensure that the house numbers are clean and visible. Wash the front door or repaint it a bold color. Change or clean the door hardware. Wash outsides of windows if you did not power-wash.

3. Final Touches

Bring in fresh flowers or use branches in a tall vase in a corner. Bake cookies or boil cinnamon sticks before a showing. Use accent mirrors near lamps to make spaces look larger and to add to the lighting effects. Dimmer switches can also help set lighting moods.

4. Pack, remove, declutter, clean!

In the end you will remove or discard about 80-90% of your stuff. Buyers do not want to see anything personal, any clutter, any photographs, boxes of junk, packed closets, etc. If you have to rent a storage unit then do it. Take one room at a time: sort, discard, store, remove, rearrange. Think minimalist, basic furniture and a few nice pieces of art and knick-knacks. Clean and deodorize everything, deep clean, brighten up. Take down old window dressings, blinds, curtains.

5. Move Furniture

Remember minimalist. Pull the furniture away from the walls, create focal settings: reading area, writing table, relaxing/entertaining area. Living rooms should have as little furniture as possible, arranged in a cozy setting away from walls. If the room is large have distinct separate groupings. You want the rooms to look like an expensive hotel or model home. Nothing personal, no family photos that will distract buyers attention from seeing their own belongings in the space.