How To Stage A House For Sale

If you’re looking to sell your house in the near future, understanding how to stage your home will be an important part of your efforts. That’s because the best appearance and layout for a house on the market is very different from the best appearance and layout for a home that’s being lived in. The process of staging a house addresses this difference and makes a property look as appealing as possible to potential buyers.

Not sure how to stage your home? Don’t worry – staging a house for sale is as simple as looking at your residence through the buyer’s eyes. By understanding what they see, and adhering to the following tips and guidelines, you will successfully stage and sell your house.

Part 1: Interior Staging Tips

Presenting a beautiful, clean home will tell potential buyers that you took good care of the property. Make a good impression by tackling the following projects:

Declutter the House

• Make closets seem bigger by removing items that can be stored elsewhere
• Pack it up and store it — you are moving soon anyway!
• If necessary, remove or rearrange furniture in a room to accent the room’s best traits (lighting, size, etc.)
• Remove overly personal items on the walls, then patch and paint as needed

Clean the Kitchen

• Keep appliances clean
• Clear the refrigerator of pictures, messages, etc.
• Put away rarely used items from countertops

Make the Bathrooms Sparkle

• Remove unneeded items from countertops, tubs, shower stalls, and commode tops
• Group regularly used cosmetics, brushes, etc. in one small area
• Color coordinate towels, floor rugs, etc.

Setup During Showings

• Open the draperies or blinds
• Leave the lights on
• Keep soft background music playing during showings

Part 2: Exterior Staging Tips

You never get a second chance to make a good first impression, and that impression starts when prospective buyers arrive at your house. Make sure that they like what they see by taking care of the following:

The Yard

• Keep the lawn trimmed, edged, and watered
• Fertilize if needed
• Trim all bushes and plants
• Keep outside plants from blocking windows
• Weed and clear planting areas

Porches, Decks & Patios

• Declutter outdoor spaces
• Store items such as garbage cans, yard equipment, or toys in the garage
• Add porch or patio furniture if appropriate

The House

• Check exterior paint, especially front door and trim
• Check gutters and downspouts and repair as needed
• Check roof for dry rot or needed maintenance
• Repair, replace, or repaint shutters
• Inspect windows and screens for repair or replacement

Driveways & Walkways

• Keep driveways and walkways free of debris, including leaves or snow/ice
• Check for areas that may need to be repaired or replaced

Additional Tips for Selling a House

These tips for staging a house will go a long way toward making a good impression once your residence is on the market. This good impression will help you sell your property as quickly as possible. Additionally, the time or money you spend on clean-up and repairs will return to you in a better selling price – making it time and money well spent.

Need additional help with the sales process after you stage a house? We can help you! Howard Hanna offers an extensive range of tools, programs, and resources to help you kick-start the home selling process. Learn more about how Howard Hanna is here to help by visiting our website.

We’ve also written a Seller’s Guide to help you learn how to sell your house in 2020, complete with tips for working with a real estate agent, low-cost ideas for staging your home, and more! Download the free guide today to take advantage of over 20 pages packed with advice and worksheets all geared toward one thing: helping you sell your home faster, easier, and for more money.