Clayton & Clayton Real Estate Blog

Even though the world is facing rapid urbanization across the board, especially in up-and-coming economies, and even though residential districts are blossoming, selling a property is not an easy task. Prospective homebuyers are nowadays looking for that diamond in the rough that boasts all of the wonderful features that make life comfortable, efficient, and infinitely rewarding.

So naturally, if you want to elevate the value of your home and sell to the highest bidder, you need to stage the property just right. Today, we’re taking a look at the five essential rules you need to follow in order to increase the value of your home, and attract the perfect buyer to your doorstep.

Create a clean and clutter-free look

First things first, you need to strike the perfect balance between a homey vibe (more on that in a bit) and a clean and clutter-free look. Most importantly, though, you need to clean the house like you’ve never cleaned it before. To make your home sparkle from top to bottom, it’s best if you hire a professional cleaning service for the occasion, as you want to make the best first impression possible.

Next, tend to thorough decluttering. Remove all extraneous décor elements to create an inviting living environment where prospective homebuyers can envision themselves making lifelong memories with their family. Use this opportunity to declutter for maximum maneuverability and flexibility in every room, in order to guide the visitors through an enjoyable viewing.

Imbue the setting with a homey vibe

Now that the interior is free of clutter and everything is organized, it’s time to figure out which décor elements to introduce (and which to eliminate) in order to create that highly sought-after homey look and feel that every homebuyer wants to experience upon venturing inside. There are three main décor considerations you need to keep in mind: lighting, furniture, and accessories.

Upon stepping into the foyer, the visitor needs to be greeted by a well-lit interior, preferably enjoying plenty of natural light. If the viewing is scheduled in the evening, then it becomes even more important to light every room with warm artificial lighting and accent lights as well.

When it comes to furniture and amenities, you not only want to select the right pieces according to their aesthetic appeal, but you also want to use them to create striking focal points in every room. In the kitchen, this would be the island. In the living room, a cozy seating area, and in the bathroom, perhaps a beautiful stone freestanding bath.

Mind the finer details

The appeal and perceived value of the property lies in its finer décor elements. Your job is to mold the perception of the interior and shape the mindset of the viewers by paying special attention to those small décor elements that tease the primary senses such as smell, touch, and vision. Start with the doors by replacing the old handles with stylish door handles that boast a unique finish and texture to appeal to the sense of touch. Do this for all hardware in the house, including cabinetry and drawers.

Next, use strategically-placed greenery in every room to frame the design and create that welcoming oasis feel. Introduce complementary accents the likes of chunky-knit throws and colorful pillows to accentuate a focal point such as the master bed or the seating area in the living room. Don’t forget to tease their sense of smell with flowers, and use scented candles in select spaces such as the bathroom to create a more intimate feel.

Depersonalize the space

In your effort to create a welcoming setting and elevate the look of your home, you might fall prey to a common mistake that drives buyers away: designing the interior to your personal liking. Remember, you need to inspire your visitors to envision their future here, to put the pieces of their life together in this welcoming space that allows them design and decorate it in their mind.

To achieve this, you will need to purposefully leave certain areas blank, and most importantly, you will need to depersonalize the space. Allow them to put their own family photo over the fireplace in their head, and let them put their own statement armchair next to the seating area in the living room – it will make all the difference.

Tend to all pending repairs

And finally, make sure to conduct all of the necessary repairs before opening your home for public viewing. Never underestimate the buyers’ ability to spot the tiniest of problems when it comes to the functionality and efficiency of the property, so if you don’t fix all problems ahead of time, you will reduce the value of the property significantly.

Over to you

If you are to attract the most affluent homebuyers and elevate the price of your property, you need to stage it just right. Follow these golden rules of staging and with a small help of a good real estate agent you will have no problem selling your home to the highest bidder.