Professional real estate home stagers employ an arsenal of optical illusions and psychological tricks that draw the eyes of buyers to all the right places to create instant appeal.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association, homes which are staged before going on the market sell 73% faster, on average, than their non-staged counterparts – an important factor in today’s competitive real estate market.

REMAX/Metro realtor Estelia Mesimer says that you want to give potential buyers that “I could live here feeling” when they imagine your home as theirs.

One of the best proven methods to achieve this reaction is by staging. It’s a process whereby you review the property’s strong and weak points, determine what changes and/or repairs need to be made, how much the changes/repairs will cost, and how long will they take to allow your home to be shown as its maximum potential.

Five Basics to Home Staging

If your budget does not allow you to contract the services of a professional stager, here are some helpful DIY tips from the experts from Houzz (https://www.houzz.com/magazine/the-first-rule-of-home-staging-less-is-always-more-stsetivw-vs~74374746) to get that professional look.

Position Furniture
Place furniture strategically. Are pieces placed in a way that makes the room spacious and bright? For example, if an item is sitting in front of a window, you’re likely blocking light. Rearrange to showcase the room’s best natural light. Prospective buyers want to socialize in a home’s common areas without moving chairs. Placing furniture in conversational groups, for example a love seat and two chairs, makes a room feel larger. Play with the placement, angling pieces, using corners of the room to open up the space.

De-Clutter
Get organized. A clutter-free environment allows the space, beauty and intrinsic value of your home to shine. Beautiful wood floor details might be concealed with too much furniture, or pleasant natural light might be obscured by heavy drapery. Replace and eliminate unnecessary, distracting and cumbersome items.

Pare Down Furniture
Keep only essential furniture. The living room is often the most used room of the house, and it may collect extra furniture that isn’t typically categorized as living room furniture. The key to staging this space is to stick to just the essential pieces – typically a sofa, coffee table, rug, accent chair and media console. The corner desk with a computer on it may be essential for the way you live, but it’s not great for the room. While your home is on the market, perhaps find an alternate workspace or use a laptop. Similarly, if you need that end table to hold a much-needed table lamp, then leave it. But if you have two end tables, perhaps you don’t need both. Having fewer pieces will help the space feel larger. The goal is for the room to read larger so that it appears as a desirable living space.

Color
Weave the same pops of color throughout your home. This allows your space to flow cohesively from one room to the next. Generally, stagers recommend dedicating 60% of a room’s space to a single color, 30% to a secondary color, and 10% to an accent. Use a shade of white on your trim for a clean, contemporary look. Unless your design scheme is modern, you’ll probably want to choose a color other than white for your walls. White walls can make a home feel cold and plain. Color on your walls can psychologically do your buyers more good.

Lighting
Lighting adds the illusion of more space. All windows should be thoroughly cleaned to let the light in. Swap out heavy, room-darkening drapes or heavy blinds for opaque, light-filtering window treatments or light curtains. Use wall sconces, floor lamps, and task lighting to add more wattage on the cheap.

Dated lighting fixtures may not be a deal-breaker, but they will not show up in a buyer’s “plus” column. Replace or refurbish what you’re willing to, then install the brightest bulbs you safely can. If you choose LED lights, you can get many more lumens than incandescent bulbs, all while using less energy and generating less heat.

Bottom Line: Whether you hire a professional or do-it-yourself, taking the time to stage your home for potential buyers can be one of the most effective ways to make your house stand out against other listings in your area. For more information on home staging, creating outdoor curb appeal or any other real estate question you have, get in touch with Estelia Mesimer today – you’ll be glad you did!

Related Articles:
Staging a House on a Budget: 11 Ideas That’ll Wow Buyers
10 Tips to Increase Your Home’s Value
A Guide to Staging a House before You Sell
15 Secrets of Home Staging

St. Petersburg Communities

If you’re interested in any of these of communities or live in one of them and are thinking of selling, call Estelia today!

Allendale Terrace
Bahama Shores
Bayway Isles
Coquina Key
Crescent Heights
Crescent Lake
Downtown
Greater Pinellas Point
Historic Kenwood
Historic Old Northeast
Historic Roser Park
Historic Uptown
Isla del Sol
Old Southeast
Placida Bayou
Snell Isle