Staging the property for sale well is of paramount importance if a home is to sell quickly and at the right price. While many homeowners don’t consider staging costs a so-called “necessary expense”, it falls under the additional costs that sometimes come along with deciding to put one’s property on the market.

If you are unfamiliar with the term, “staging” refers to the presentation of the home in a particular way in order for it to have the broadest possible appeal among prospective homebuyers. More than simply ensuring that the home is tidy and that all the features of the property are in good working order – something that is a basic requirement when deciding to sell the property – staging takes into account what kind of styling and presentation makes the biggest impression on the largest proportion of buyers. For this reason, home stagers are particularly useful to home sellers.

Most sellers won’t necessarily have the décor prowess to undertake this task by themselves, but even basic home staging goes a long way in making a property seem appealing to potential buyers. In its essence, staging the home may be as simple as putting away sentimental items, family photos and religious or political regalia. Because the buyers coming to view the home do not necessarily share the seller’s beliefs, it is better to rather avoid having anything displayed that might put potential buyers off buying their property.

Ultimately, staging the home is a way in which home sellers and their real estate agents can help potential buyers to imagine themselves in the space. Once buyers have taken a fancy to a particular home, there is very little that will put them off – although sellers should always pay attention to important repairs or renovations which can make or break a sale if they are not completed by the time buyers come to see the property. Make no mistake – discerning buyers will carefully inspect every part of the home and test every switch.

But what is a seller to do if the deal-breakers are part and parcel of the property and can only be corrected by undertaking extensive construction work?

Turn Deal-Breakers Into Selling Points 

When in doubt, staging the home can help to turn those parts of the home that are the worst eyesores into reimagined areas that the homeowner will be sorry they had not utilised in such a way earlier.

Home stagers have an eye for underappreciated spaces, and have a knack for turning even the ugliest of ducklings – so to speak – into a gracious and stylish swan.

Speaking to home stagers and real estate agents will reveal that there are plenty of these pitfalls in the average home, even more so if the home is perhaps a little older or has an unusual design or floor plan.

Often mentioned, are homes that have fallen victim to years of wear and tear, making some parts of them worthy of some tender loving care. Floor plans that are less functional and homes that do not front as they should may also lead to spaces that seem impractical or awkward, or make some parts of the house especially dark or too bright. A lack of maintenance may also lead to issues, especially if said maintenance has not been kept up to date over a matter of years.

One sometimes questions the vision of some architects, but this doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker when it comes to making the home attractive for buyers. The professional home stager, along with an experienced and exceptional real estate agent, will turn these deal-breakers into selling points with their skills and expertise.

Properly Staging Awkward Floor Plans and Rooms

Styles and design trends have varied widely over the years, and while modern designs favour open-plan living, this was not always the case. For this reason, many older homes are full of underutilised floor space, which are the result of awkward room layouts that were stylish when the home was initially designed.

For example, a long and narrow space can be particularly challenging, because the layout options can be limited. In this regard, clever staging might entail turning this space into a reading nook, fitted with a single comfortable couch.

Even better, is repurposing a space so that it adds value and perhaps a big return on a relatively small investment. If the home has a very shallow spare closet, for example, removing the doors to create a tiny office nook will add another space that ultimately adds value. Especially in the era of remote work, this is a quick and easy way to make the home seem appealing to young professionals. A bay window area can also easily be equipped with a table to create a gorgeous place to work.

The area under a staircase is also often considered “dead space”, but the addition of a chaise longue will turn it into a beautiful waiting area. Simply putting up a few shelves in the area above the washing machine and dryer in the laundry area will create additional storage space – and you can bet that extra storage is always a winner with buyers.

Combining functionality with stylish décor is the easiest way to best utilise every part of the home and turn it into something that will have buyers – and sellers – saying, “wow, why didn’t I think of that?”

Swap out Incorrectly Scaled Furniture 

Speaking of funky floor plans and tricky room layouts: another challenge these pose is making the furniture fit and look suited to the space it is occupying. In terms of kitting out the room with the right furniture, the home stager will look to strike the right balance – if the furniture is too big, it will look like a doll’s house, and if it is too small, it might make the room look like an unoccupied school hall.

What really makes the home staging expense worth it, is that the home staging company will have access to a wide range of furniture in varying styles and sizes, making it easy to make even the tiniest room seem a little roomier, and the biggest one look a bit more cosy and not quite so empty. In the same vein, outdated pieces of furniture can be swapped out for something a little more modern. If an elderly couple is planning to appeal to young newlyweds, it’s far better to have them see a growing family in a home that does not look like it hasn’t seen children in quite a few years.

Home sellers should remember that all of this is certainly not for nought, as home staging is essential to marketing the property well before prospective sellers start knocking on the door. Correctly staging the home will make for great photos to use in the online listing. As this is where most potential buyers will come across the home first, neglecting the way the online listing looks is something sellers should do at their peril.

Brighten Up Dark Rooms

Rooms that in any way resemble dungeons are sure to make potential buyers get the willies and run far away. Of course, lighting the home correctly is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make a good impression – after all, it literally puts the home in the best light!

There are various ways to best use natural light or improve the artificial lighting in the home. Your real estate agent may even suggest choosing a specific time of day for home inspections in order to capitalise on the way the light falls.

Paying attention to window furnishings is also important: swapping out heavy and dark curtains for something lighter is the simplest way to completely transform the way a dark room looks, but adding lamps to areas that don’t get a lot of natural light will also elevate a space. In fact, sellers should always keep in mind that light also translates to the idea of space. If a room is dark and dreary, it also immediately feels a little smaller.

Just as dark curtains can add to this cramped feeling, darker furniture also automatically feels like it takes up more space, even more so if the area is smaller to begin with. In the end, an area that is getting more light will always look more inviting than one that is dark, but even so, parts of the home that get far too much sunlight can be saved by incorporating shades and opening a few windows to also let air circulate and make it feel cooler.

Conclusion

A home design that restricts the way space is utilised in the house doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker. Professional home staging can save just about any awkward space if it is done correctly, and helps to make a good impression on prospective buyers from the get-go. Ask your real estate agent which home staging professional they would recommend. Haven’t found an agent with an eye for detail yet? Let Perfect agent recommend a number of agents that will tick every box.