Common Staging Mistakes Made by Home Owners
For homeowners looking to sell their home, one of the most important things that they can do is make sure that their house is staged in the best way possible. The amount of information available regarding how to stage a home properly can be overwhelming, especially to anyone that is unfamiliar with the process. Here are some of the most common mistakes that homeowners make when staging their home.
Not Defining Spaces
In order for a prospective buyer to be able to see the potential that every room in a house has, the rooms have to be well defined. That is not to say that they need to be overly personalized, their usefulness, however, does need to be apparent. When a homeowner leaves a room empty, while it can seem as though they are providing prospective buyers with a “blank slate” to work with, they are also providing them with potentially awkward areas of the house that might not be as easily defined by the perspective buyers’ imagination.
Erasing the “Lived In” Feel from the Home
When to sell your home, it is important that you remove a lot of the personalization in it, such as any huge signs with names, or walls filled with family pictures. By doing this, you are still providing perspective buyers with the definition of an area, however, because of the lack of personalization, they are more easily able to imagine themselves enjoying the space. All that being said, removing the personalization does not mean that your home has to feel sterile or cold, by placing freshly cut flowers, or a bowl of fruit on the counter, makes the house both feel and appear to be home as opposed to simply a house, again lending to the idea of the perspective buyer being able to imagine themselves spending time there.
Over sized Furniture
A big part of staging a home is making sure that the furniture in it is appropriately sized for the space it is being used in. While they might be comfortable to lounge on, over sized chairs and couches do not positively impact the appearance of a room, in terms of how large it is, and how that space can be utilized. The same can be said for large storage units, wardrobes, and shelving, by having these throughout your house, not only are the rooms going to appear to be smaller in size, but the perspective buyer will be led to believe that the house does not have adequate storage either.
Not Using Colors and Textures Properly
It is fairly common knowledge that when preparing to sell a house, it is a good idea to stick to primarily neutral tones. However, many people forget that color is not a bad thing when used correctly. Similarly to mixing textures, using pops of color throughout your home can help to avoid that “washed out” feeling that some perspective buyers feel when they enter a home decorated primarily in neutrals. Pops of color and texture add a sense of life and fun to the space. The best part is that these additions can be added easily through window coverings, throw pillows or area rugs.