Strong staging is essential to selling your home quickly and for the best price, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune. If big ticket renovations are not in your plans, here are a few tips for freshening things up affordably.
1. Curb Appeal
Before asking to see the inside of a home, often buyers will drive-by to see if it's even worth a further look. This is a first impression and you want to make it count. Small, simple touches made to the outside of your home will go a long way:
- The Lawn: Mow and Reseed
- Flowers: Color and fresh greenery will really liven things up
- House Numbers: Install an easy-to-see number near the door and/or on the mailbox
- Windows: Grab your Windex & make those exterior windows gleam!
2. Make it shine
It may take some work but it sure is cheap to scrub your home from top to bottom. Floors, windows and countertops should sparkle. Dust, crumbs, pet hair (and pet odor?) should be eliminated! Bathroom grout, tile and showers should all look clean and fresh.
3. Declutter
Buyers want to see your home as a fresh start for themselves. Removal of counter clutter, toys, excessive knick-knacks and other "stuff" around the house will create more space for potential buyers. This goes for closets too. Don't forget, they will all be opened during showings!
4. Minimize Personal Touches
Again, buyers want to walk into a home and visualize themselves there. Family photos, school projects and other personalized items will hamper their vision of the home as their own. You're moving anyway right? Start packing things up!
5. Neutral Colors
Browns, tans and grays go a long way to make a space feel sophisticated and pulled together. Neutrals tend to appeal to the masses regardless of an individual's preferred style.
6. Rearrange Furniture
Pull sofas and chairs way from the walls to create an intimate, conversational environment. Lamps, end tables and other accessories can be relocated around the home to create that certain "look".
7. Give Rooms A Purpose
We all have a room that we use for storage, shopping bags and excess "junk" but when staging your home, each room should have it's own purpose. An office, a guest room or a playroom are a few examples of ways to use that additional space. Hide the junk and define it!
8. Paint
Fresh paint throughout the house is a huge upgrade but if the budget doesn't allow for it all, even just a fresh coat of semi-gloss paint on doors, moldings and trim go a long way to sprucing things up.
9. Lighting
Most spaces are improperly lit, and a dim, dreary appearance should be avoided. Buyers like "bright and sunny" so change the bulbs and increase the wattage while you're at it!
10. The Backyard
Just like the front, the backyard, no matter how big or small, should be well groomed and presentable. Even the smallest yards can hold a quaint table with chairs and make buyers imagine breakfast "al fresco". In addition, pools, patios and decks should be cleaned and well maintained.
**If you are thinking about listing your home please contact me and we can prepare!
(201) 841-9785 or email me:
INFO@MONMOUTHAREAHOMES.COM
www.monmouthareahomes.com
Melissa Gerstenfeld
REALTOR® Associate
Keller Williams West Monmouth
