Stand Out to Buyers
When it comes time to show your Wake County home to prospective buyers, you need it to make a lasting impression. Chances are, they’ve seen several houses on the same day, so how do you make yours the one to remember? These 12 staging tips are tried and true methods of improving the look and feel of your property, both inside and out. From the moment buyers pull up to the second the front door closes behind them, they’ll be engrossed in what is sure to be their future Triangle home.
The Curb Appeal
Clean Up the Yard
Your yard is the first thing buyers see when they view your property. Remove all weeds, trim hedges, cut dead flowers or replace dead plants, rake leaves, and mow your lawn so that it’s evenly cut. If you have the time and resources, patch any cracks in your driveway and walkways. All of this goes a long way to create a very clean, welcoming appearance.
Create an Inviting Entrance
Give prospective buyers a reason to want to enter your home with an entrance that leaves them wanting to see more. Use symmetry with potted plants to create a welcoming ingress, paint your door or repair any visible damage, add a welcome mat, and remove unsightly spider webs. If you have any personalized plaques or art, take them down and replace them with neutral art.
Swap Out Old Fixtures
If your lighting fixtures, door knobs, doorbell cover, and address numbers are looking worn, now’s the time to swap them out. You may be able to paint your light fixtures instead of replacing them outright, just be sure to use a weather-resistant paint and seal it for a longer-lasting application. Stick to more neutral colors and finishes to ensure you appeal to a broader audience.
Power Wash It All
Your driveway, porch, and siding should look as new as possible. The best way is by power washing it all. Renting a power washer will be cheaper than hiring a service, but practice in unseen areas before you start cleaning. It can take a moment to get used to how strong the stream is and you don’t want to damage your home’s siding.
Low-Cost Repairs & Cleaning
Fix Drywall Damage
This can be as simple as adding a small dot of spackle, sanding it down, and painting it to cover smaller holes. More significant damage may require a kit or even a precut piece of drywall to fill the hole. At the very least, cover anything that you can easily paint over including nail holes, stains, and scratches. If you notice signs of water damage, don’t just paint over it. You’ll need to have it looked at and properly tended to.
Thoroughly Wash All Floors & Surfaces
Whether it’s your den’s hardwood floors, your office’s carpet, or your kitchen countertops, you want to give them all a good cleaning. Rent a carpet cleaner from your local hardware store and consider steam-cleaning other surfaces to maximize just how polished your home will look and feel. Be sure to clean the grout, as that can really transform a space if it hasn’t been touched in a while.
Replace Any Missing Pieces
Through the years of ownership, it’s not unthinkable that a floorboard may pop up or a door trim start to separate from the wall. You’ll want to tend to these repairs before you show your home. While the fixes may be minor, buyers may perceive these issues as signs that you didn’t care for the home or as a problem they’ll just have to fix after closing.
Apply New Caulking
Pay close attention to the caulking around your home. There’s a lot of it, from the windows to your shower, and in all instances, it can get discolored and dirty. Replacing caulk is a fairly simple, if not tedious, task. Be patient, go slow, and make sure it’s even and smooth. Even the slightest gap can allow moisture to leak through.
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The Finishing Touches
Replace Dead Light Bulbs
If it’s a fixture that can give off light, make sure there’s a lightbulb in it. Believe it or not, you don’t want to use just any bulb, either. To give your home the best natural, flattering look, warm white LED bulbs will be your best bet. They don’t heat up the surrounding space, their light isn’t harsh, and they have a longer lifespan than incandescent bulbs.
Remove All Personal Decor
You want your home to look as if it hasn’t been lived in. That means removing anything that may be personal to your tastes, family, or life. Buyers should be able to step into a room and visualize what it would look like with their personal effects in it. If you leave personal items up, it may also appear as if you’re not ready to move, thus making it perceptible that the purchase would be delayed.
Declutter & Rearrange
Remember, your home should not look lived in. Don’t leave around excess items that can crowd the space and make it difficult to navigate. You should even consider arranging your furniture so that it’s balanced and makes the room look more spacious. Here’s where you may need to start selectively removing pieces of neutral decor. If it doesn’t add to the space and only takes up room, it's worth putting in storage.
Finish the Space With Flowers
Even with everything cleaned, repaired, and decluttered, your home may need a touch of color to liven it up and enhance its appeal. Flowers are a very easy way to do this, but be careful what you choose. Don’t go with anything too aromatic and stick to a mix of complementary colors. Add flowers to every room you think could use them, just keep the bouquets modest and avoid anything too big.
Ready to Sell Your Triangle Area Home?
You’ve put in all that work to make your home ready for showings, now it’s time to list and get your property in front of buyers. The Terbet Group is available to get the process started with an evaluation. Using local market data, we’ll help you settle on a price that will move your home quickly and provide you with a reasonable return. Contact us today and let’s get your newly staged home on the Triangle area market.