Depending on how big your house is, it can cost anywhere between $500 and $2,400 per month to stage your home. Of course, you can lower this cost if you use your furniture over a staging service. Let’s tackle the cost dilemma a little later, shall we?
What’s more important is finding the answer to the question: Why is staging necessary?
Imagine putting up your Orlando real estate for sale. Your Orlando realtor has scheduled a couple of house tours, which are back to back. When the first family arrives and enters your house, their response doesn’t seem that positive. The other two families that follow the next day give the same reaction. It baffles you that they didn’t like the house because your property is affordable and in a good neighborhood. So, what do you think the problem could be?
Well, the boxes cluttered in your living room, the messy state of the bedroom, the dirty kitchen cabinets, and the personal photos on the walls are the main problem. The buyer may find picturing themselves living in the space difficult because it is crowded with their belongings.
Did you know that a staged house spends around 73% less time on the market? Due to this reason, you need to stage your home!
DIY Staging
Staging is not a hard task. We have already mentioned the cost of hiring a staging service, and that’s per month. If your house stays on the market for more than a month, you could be spending thousands of dollars to make your house look pretty.
The good news is that you can stage the house yourself! According to a National Association of Realtors (NAR) report, commonly staged rooms include the living room, kitchen, master bedroom, and dining room.
Below are a few tips on how to stage your house:
Declutter and Clean
If you are in the negotiation process of buying your new house, you probably can’t move into it. Hence, all your belongings will have to stay a little longer in your old house. Instead of leaving them lying around, take the free time to declutter and clean the place. Pack all your belongings in boxes and move them into the garage. Clean the house from top to bottom, even things you plan to leave for the new owner. All in all, your house should be spotless.
Beautify the Place
A couple of vases full of bright flowers and potted plants here and there will give the house a fresh look. When it comes to staging, minimal is best so try to tone things down.
Define Each Room’s Purpose
The master bedroom should only have a bed and two side tables, the kitchen should have clean countertops, the living room should have a sofa set with a coffee table, and the dining room should have a dining table.
Think of it as highlighting the star of the room.
Paint and Lighting
If you want to brighten up the interior, a great way is to paint the walls. Use accent lighting to emphasize the good features of the house. If the house tour is scheduled in the morning, open the curtains and let natural light in.
Furniture
Last but not least is the furniture. Do not place cupboards in the room that are filled with clothes. However, you can place a bookshelf in the living room for some depth. The house will look more spacious with fewer pieces of furniture and help buyers visualize living in the space.
So, do you now understand why staging is so important? To learn more and get in touch with a professional Ocoee realtor, visit the Megan Dowdy Realty website or call 407-509-9279.
