You want to sell your San Francisco, California home but you aren’t sure how to make your home more appealing and inviting to potential buyers.
Aside from finding a top real estate agent, you should consider staging your home.
Unlike decorating, staging focuses on creating an inviting and strategically crafted area where buyers can envision themselves living.
Proper staging doesn’t just make buyers feel happy and welcome in your home, it has been shown to increase the amount buyers are willing to pay for your home. Follow these staging tips if you want to sell your San Francisco, California home fast.
Deep clean and declutter
You can’t stage a home that is hidden below a layer of clutter and dust. So your first task is to deep clean every square inch of your home. Scrub the floors, walls, counters, cabinets, carpets, etc.
Basically, make your home look brand new. Next, you can remove excess clutter such as unnecessary knick-knacks, overly personal photos, and wall art, as well as unneeded furniture. With less clutter and a clean home, you can set into staging.
Start with the living room
There is no doubt that the living room is the most looked at room during a showing. After all, it is the area where families gather to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Start staging by positioning furniture so that it appears inviting.
Using a sofa and two chairs to create a seating area where people can see each other as well as face a focal point such as a fireplace or TV. Next, add a rug that ties the seating area together. Finally, add a bit of color and warmth with throw pillows or simple wall art.
The kitchen should also be staged to appear inviting to all. Open up the countertops and clear out the cabinets. Make it appear that there is ample storage space as well as plenty of room to cook and entertain guests. Keep the counters clear and the table area uncluttered.
Finally, the master bedroom should be staged to appear like a great place to rest your head after a long day. Make the bed the focal point of the room, but add subtle hints of relaxing areas such as a small corner chair or matching bedside tables with a small lamp or book.
Show off storage
Homeowners know that they can repaint walls or carpet over ugly floors, however, they also know that building a storage area into a home is a construction project they will most likely will not want to tackle.
Because homebuyers want a home they can move into quickly that has plenty of storage space, you need to play up whatever storage area you have.
Clear out excess clutter from your closets and cabinets. Leave only a few towels, blankets, and sheets in your linen closet. The same is true of bathroom closets and kitchen cabinets. Remove the excess so that there appears to be plenty of space.
Let in the light
Nothing makes a space feel larger than natural light. With its ability to brighten up even the gloomiest of rooms, natural light is a must for any area you are trying to show off. Remove heavy drapes and blinds from windows first.
Then, highlight the open windows as a focal point. If you have a room with a large window, you can center furniture around it. You can also hang a mirror on the wall opposite from a large window so that the light can reflect off the mirror and around the room.
Don’t forget the outdoors
You have staged your living room, kitchen, and master bedroom to perfection. Now what? Now it’s time to work on one of the most important staging areas of all: the outdoors.
Investing in and taking the time to spruce up your home’s landscaping can significantly increase your home’s selling potential.
In fact, landscaping recoups over 200% of its costs at the time of sale and in the Pacific region adds over $12,000 in value to a house. Begin your outdoor staging with a deep clean. Spray down the exterior walls of your home as well as the sidewalks and driveway.
Next, remove debris such as leaves, twigs, branches, etc from around your home and yard. Then, plant a few easy-to-maintain perennials around the front of your home as well as a few small bushes. Finally, finish off the area with a thick layer of mulch.
In addition to basic landscaping, you should trim your grass, remove weeds, and fix bare patches. Stage your front porch and make sure your backyard is welcoming and appealing to a range of buyers.
Staging your home is a must if you are hoping to sell quickly and for a great price. Speak to a top real estate agent about staging tips. Remember when staging you want to keep your home neutral and inviting so that no matter who walks through your front door, they feel welcomed and inclined to make an offer on your home.
