Getting your house sold means making a positive first impression with buyers. And that, in turn, means staging.
We’ve written quite a lot about staging here at the SOLD.com blog, and not without reason. When you’re selling your own property, it’s vitally important that you know how to present it at its absolute best. Yet staging isn’t always as simple or as straightforward as you might think. It’s something that requires a lot of real time and careful strategy.
Today, however, we’re going to look at a common question: What happens if you really don’t have time to stage your house thoroughly? What if you have house hunters coming in just a few minutes and you need to make yourself scarce?
Even if you’re pressed for time, there are some very quick and simple things you can do to stage your home more effectively. Indeed, the best way to sell a home may be to take just four or five minutes for some quick straightening up.
You’ll find our quick-and-easy home staging hacks below—but first, just a simple reminder that, when you’re selling your own property, you always want to work with as much information as possible. Start with a seller’s report from SOLD.com. In it, you’ll find a personalized recommendation for how you can get your house sold, from our unbiased, third-party experts.
Quick, Easy Staging Tips
With that said, here are our home staging hacks.
Turn Down the Thermostat
Or, if you’re selling in winter, maybe turn up the thermostat!
The important thing is to make sure your buyers are comfortable. You want them to have a positive experience in your home! In most cases, that’s going to mean setting the dial at around 70, give or take a degree or two.
Check the Bathrooms
You know buyers are going to want to inspect your bathrooms, so take just a few minutes to make sure there’s nothing unseemly waiting for them there. Our advice is incredibly simple:
- Make sure the toilet has been flushed, and that there aren’t any clogs.
- Put all toilet seats down.
- Hide the plunger and toilet brush.
- Put away your bathroom reading materials; move the magazines somewhere out of sight!
Allow Some Natural Light
One way to ensure your house hunters have a positive experience is to fill your home with as much natural light as possible. Again, our advice is pretty simple: Go from room to room to ensure curtains are open and blinds are up. (Hopefully, you’ve been keeping those windows clean!)
Yes, that’s all there is to it, and yes, it really can make a difference!
Take Out the Trash
There are a couple of reasons why we have this on our list. For one, your trash may stink! The same for your recycling! Take them both to the outside trash can.
Second, you may have homeowners who truly want to look everywhere, potentially even checking your garbage receptacles. Whenever possible, though, you want to avoid giving your buyers any refuse to look at.
Declutter the Countertops
If you’re truly pressed for time, you may not have time for this one… but whenever possible, go to your kitchen countertops and try to remove as much of the clutter as you can.
It’s okay to have a fruit bowl on the counter; perhaps a nice floral arrangement, too. But generally speaking, you want to emphasize empty space in your home while reducing clutter. That means hiding any unnecessary knick knacks that are displayed in a prominent place.
Discover the Best Way to Sell a Home
With these tips, you can make your home just a little more buyer-friendly… and it only takes a few moments.
Above all, always think strategically, seeking little ways you can provide a more positive house hunting experience while emphasizing the beauty and functional space of your listing.
As you think about staging, we hope you’ll also think about getting your free report from SOLD.com. In it, you’ll find independent, unbiased recommendations on how to sell your home and achieve your real estate goals. To get your free report, all you have to do is answer a few quick questions, letting us know a bit more about the property. Get your report today!
