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10 Tips to Stage Your Home and WOW Your Buyers

Before you list your Raleigh home, ask yourself: how does it look? If the answer is "maybe not so great" or "could be better", then these tips are definitely for you. Don't let a little simple home staging be the difference between selling your home and losing out on hard-earned equity.

The Exterior

The outside of your home is just as important as the inside. Spend some time giving your home's exterior some love to create a sense of welcoming so that your buyers are impressed before they even leave the car!

Create curb appeal

Before a buyer will set foot inside, they have to be impressed by the exterior of your home. So spend some time making your home welcoming and attractive. That means clearing pathways, powerwashing, mowing, maybe even adding some flowers.

Make your porch welcoming

Make buyers eager to step inside and see your home with a tidy, cozy, and inviting front porch. That might mean a chair, a welcome mat, some potted flowers, or maybe a seasonal wreath. This applies to condo sellers, too!

Spruce up outdoor areas

Here in the Raleigh, it's all about the outdoor lifestyle. Buyers here are looking for homes with great outdoor spots, so make sure your deck, patio, porch, balcony, and yard are all looking tip-top.

Cleaning & Repairs

Nothing turns off a buyer like persistent maintenance problems, lingering repair projects, or a home that's just not clean! Don't lose out on a sale for an easily preventable reason!

Finish repair projects

Most buyers aren't eager to walk into a big maintenance project, or even a bunch of little ones. Don't let an easy fix send your buyers away.

Clear out the clutter

Take some time to go through your closets, shelves, cabinets, and counters to clear out anything that's taking up space or making your rooms appear cramped, crowded, or cluttered.

Deep clean EVERYTHING

Dirt, dust, grime, mildew, mold, and even cobwebs can signal to buyers that a home isn't well cared-for. Don't give them the wrong impression; break out the cleaning supplies!

Interior Decor

Now that you've created curb appeal and tackled the basics, it's time to start looking for ways to impress your buyers and make your home stand apart from the crowd.

Depersonalize your decor

The key here is to make it easy for buyers to visualize their lives in your home. To do that, you've got to depersonalize a bit: take down family photos, remove bright or bold colors, and keep decor simple and neutral.

Create balance with furniture

Placement of furniture can change the whole feel of a room. Your furniture should not overcrowd the room or leave it feeling too open. Floating the furniture away from the walls can actually make rooms feel larger and create a cozy, conversational feel.

The Final Details

Now's the fun part, the detailed staging and decorating that adds that "wow" factor, that sparkle, that little bit of something special. Just be sure to keep it simple!

Increase your lighting

Make your home warm and welcoming by increasing the lighting, both natural and artificial, throughout your home. Open windows if the weather is nice, or at least pull back the drapes to let in as much natural light as possible.

Bring the outdoors inside

Your decor might be neutral, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. Bring in bright splashes of color in the form of potted plants, clipped flowers, or fall branches. This can help increase the sense of warmth and welcoming throughout the home.

Your Raleigh Selling Resource

If you're ready to sell your Raleigh home, then it's time to contact Jennifer Jones. These staging tips are just the beginning of the expert advice and knowledge we can use to help you successfully sell your home. Contact me today and let's list your home.