Just about everyone who is trying to sell a house in this tough buyers market is advised to have their home staged. Paying for a home stager however, may not be in the budget, especially if you are trying to sell under duress as it is your only option to prevent foreclosure. The average cost of professional home staging is $2300 with the price range being from $1000 to $5000. There are also survices for a few hundred dollars that will lay out a do-it-yourself plan for you. While these services are very helpful, should you be short on money, here are some things you can do to stage your home yourself.
Clean: Buyers want to see a house where they could practically eat off the floor. Get the home you are selling CLEAN. Cleaning includes freshening grout through bleaching and replacing, cleaning baseboards and cobwebs from molding, clean inside closets, and cupboards. The home should have no clutter! Clean as if your mother in law was visiting. Your clean home should pass the white glove test.
Paint: As much as you may like the color choices you have made for your home, if the colors are not neutral, you should change them. The house should be a blank slate that others can see their belongings in.
Remove: Remove personal photographs and artwork from the walls. Artwork should be generic or non existent. Also remove excess furniture from the house. Too many furnishing items can make the home seem small and crowded. Remove all non essential items and put them in storage.
Rearrange: Once you have removed your personal belongings and excess furniture, you will likely have areas of the home that are under decorated. Fix this problem by grabbing items from other areas of the house to give the home an overall decorated look. Look at your belongings with a fresh eye. If you unable to see your belongings in a different configuration, invite over a couple of friends and get their opinion.
Purchase: While you can stage your home on the cheap, you can’t stage it for free. There are some things you will need to buy to make your home buyer ready. Window treatments, area rugs, and sofa pillows, need to be updated. Furniture may also need slipcovers or replacing depending how dated it is.
For more information on home staging read:
Home Staging: Don’t Forget the Garage (and other Stuff)