If you’re looking to sell, you’ve likely had people telling you about the importance of staging. If you’ve been asking yourself “how can I sell my house quickly?” these top staging tips from webuyanyhouse.co.uk can help!
Photo by James Feaver on Unsplash
1. Upping kerb appeal
When homeowners think of staging, they often only think about the inside of their house, but the outside is just as important – as it’s the first thing that your potential buyers will see, it’s arguably the most important as first impressions really count.
Selling a house is competitive and there’s almost guaranteed to be other houses your viewers are interested in too, so you want to make sure that yours is the best.
There are several ways that you can increase kerb appeal:
Clear the driveway:
Especially in autumn months when there’s a lot of leaves on the ground, take some time to sweep them away and if possible, pressure wash the ground to make sure it isn’t slippery. This can very quickly put buyers off, and a lot of the time you won’t realise how much grime and dirt is built-up on your driveway until you pressure wash it, leaving it looking much brighter and attractive.
Refresh your front door:
Scruffy, scratched, or otherwise damaged front doors can put buyers off incredibly quickly and make them lose interest in your home before they’ve even had a chance to see the inside.
Some homeowners will replace the front door, but you don’t have to do this if it isn’t in your budget – repainting the door can make a world of difference. Picking a bright colour will make your house stand out and make it more memorable for your viewers – some of the most popular colours include -
- Matte black
- Matte grey
- Navy
- Lilac
- Mustard yellow
- Post-box red
Move dustbins:
While we all know that dustbins are a necessity that we all use, they are unsightly and having them right next to your front door can put buyers off, especially in the summer when bins are prone to smelling. Where possible, put them at the back of the house, or if this isn’t an option, closer to your border so they aren’t the first thing that your viewers will see when they arrive.
2. Fix any damage
Most houses have little bits of damage here and there, and while it isn’t anything big enough to affect your value or cause any concern, it can still put buyers off.
Spend some time fixing anything like cracked tiles or stained carpets, as it will make your home much more attractive to your buyers. It also encourages them to put an offer in, as houses with issues like this can put buyers off.
A lot of little marks around your house will be cosmetic but can look much worse, especially to a potential buyer who will use any problem as a reason not to move forward and put an offer on your house.
It’s best to rectify them before you have any viewings to increase the chances of your viewers putting in offers! Look for things like:
- Small cracks on the wall (that have been confirmed not to be side effects of subsidence)
- Cracked tiles in bathrooms or kitchens
- Holes in the walls from screws
- Scuff marks on the walls
- Frayed or stained carpets
3. Declutter
Most homes tend to look quite lived in, and while there is nothing wrong with that, it can make it difficult for viewers to imagine themselves living there. This is especially relevant for houses that are a bit cluttered, so spending some time decluttering will help this. It can feel like a huge task, but if you break it down room-by-room it will make it much easier. Set yourself limits, and if you know that you struggle to get rid of certain items, enlist help from a strict friend or family member who can encourage you.
Decluttering has another benefit – it will make your packing process easier when you achieve your sale, as you’ll have less things to sort through! Some people will even combine the decluttering process and packing, speeding things up more and reducing the stress of packing before you do move.
4. Keep curtains open
This is a really easy one, and it makes a huge difference to your home when you have viewers!
Open all of the curtains and allow in as much natural light as possible. This will make your property look bigger, brighter, and cleaner – all things that any buyer will want. Even on days where it’s overcast outside, letting in lots of light will make the place look much more welcoming. Having curtains closed and your lights on will tend to put buyers off as they want to be able to see how much natural light the house benefits from, and any room will look bigger with the curtains open compared to having them closed.
With this one, where possible, have your windows cleaned too. This will allow the maximum light into your house and avoid any marks that are obvious to viewers when they’re looking around your house. You can clean your own windows, but it’s much easier to have them done professionally, and most areas have a local window cleaner that will be able to do this for you at a reasonable price.
Staging can make all the difference when you’re looking to sell, and so these tips should help you achieve your sale faster!