Home staging is a popular tactic among real estate agents and an effective strategy for selling a home. Realtors use this marketing technique to make their listings stand out from their competition. In today’s competitive housing market, homeowners will quickly see the benefits of home staging, including faster sales and higher offers from buyers. Home staging works because it captures the best qualities of the home and ensures that the home is welcoming and inviting to potential buyers. With so much to gain, it makes sense for homeowners to put forth the time and effort to stage their home, and they can get started using these top tips from real estate agents.

Declutter

One of the first things a real estate agent will suggest when staging your home is to start by decluttering. Not only is clutter unsightly, but it makes your home appear smaller than it actually is.  Go through each room in your home and get rid of any items that are broken or you no longer need. Don’t forget about drawers and closets as well. Buyers will open closets and drawers and you want to showcase as much storage space as possible.

Depersonalize the Space

Potential buyers want to be able to envision themselves in the home and that can be difficult if the mantle and bookshelves are adorned with family photos. It’s best to remove personal photographs from the walls and shelves and remove your kids’ artwork from the fridge. The less personalized your home is, the easier it will be for buyers to imagine their own family living there.

Stick with Neutrals

Perhaps you love bright, bold colors but that won’t appeal to the masses. When you are looking to sell your home, neutral colors work best. It is worth your while to repaint brightly colored walls and replace bright rugs and artwork with more neutral colors like white, beige, or gray. You can always add some pops of color with pillows and throw blankets. In addition to a more appealing color scheme, a fresh coat of paint can go a long way in freshening up your home.

Let in the Light

There is something about natural light that makes a home feel welcoming and inviting. That said, be sure to open all blinds and curtains to allow sunlight to fill the home. It is also recommended to update your window treatments with something bright and airy and move any furniture that might be blocking the light from coming into the room. You should also supplement the natural light with plenty of lamps and make sure the lights are turned on in every room.

Rearrange the Furniture

When staging a home, you want to make sure there is as much walkable space as possible. This makes the home feel bigger and allows buyers to navigate the space. You also want to arrange living room furniture in a way that invites conversation. For example, place two smaller chairs across from the sofa. All other rooms in the home should have furniture that reflects the room’s purpose. For example, bedrooms should be staged with bedroom furniture and offices staged with office furniture as opposed to rooms filled with boxes and clutter. If a room appears too cluttered, remove any excess furniture and put it in temporary storage.

Make Minor Updates
You don’t have to break the bank with a full kitchen remodel in order to stage your home. You can beautify the space with minor updates that will still pack a punch. You can bring your home up to date with simple things like replacing cabinet hardware, updating light fixtures, updating bathroom fixtures, making repairs, repainting the front door, and planting some flowers.