Something about spring makes me start watching all of those home shows. You know the ones where couples and sometimes singles look for the perfect house, fix up and put their homes on the market or just do some renovations. Maybe it is because spring is the most popular time of the year to list a house and get a buyer.
While the housing market has promise of turning around, there is still quite a lot of “stock,” houses on the market. This means that in order to make yours sell, it needs to shine. One thing that helps house sell quickly and for a good price is the staging.
There are professional staging companies that will come in and set up your home to resemble a showroom, but the initial cost plus the rental fees can get expensive. True, you may get this money back in a quick sale, but what if you don’t have it to spend?
You can stage your home for less when you do it yourself.
The first step is to de-clutter and clean your home. Most houses can have 60 percent of their stuff removed and not look bare. Get rid of anything you absolutely don’t love and then consider storing extra items you want to keep with a friend, relative or storage facility. Clean like a crazy person to make everything spotless. De-cluttering and cleaning will get you more than half way there.
Next, remove anything personal that will make it hard for a new family to picture themselves in the house. Replace family photos with strategically placed artwork that you make yourself.
With a critical eye (pretend that you are a stranger, or invite a new friend) evaluate everything. What looks outdated or doesn’t flow? Remove it.
Next, borrow key pieces from friends and relatives if needed. Chances are that someone may have some items that you could borrow.
Cover old furniture with bright covers. To save money, purchase a set of sheets and drape and tuck them over couches and love seats.
Shop at inexpensive stores if you need a few accessories. Home Goods, is one example. You can take the items to your new home, negotiate them into your selling price or resell them later.
* Image courtesy of http://morguefile.com/creative/jade