Selling the real estate property isn’t as easy as it may look like. In order to attract potential buyers and influence their decision, you’ll need to do your best while staging the house. Before you make any investments toward staging your home, make sure to explore all other, cheaper, and possibly free ways of making it appealing to potential buyers.

You’ll need to start from the outside, take care of driveway and backyard, and then continue with cleaning and redecorating the interior. The tips provided below will help you to come up with some fresh ideas and beat your competitors.

Look around the neighborhood

If you want to sell your house in a reasonable period of time, make sure your house follows the appeal of other homes in the neighborhood. There’s no need to paint your house in bright colors or spend a lot of money on avant-garde lawn ornaments. Keep it simple and just clean your walk and driveway. Take care of foliage, keep the lawn tidy and fresh, and don’t forget to water the flowers. When it comes to exterior, your best move is to go for a clean uniformity since that will attract a majority of future homeowners.

Beautify the front entry

As already suggested, the first thing a potential buyer will see is your home’s facade, lawn, and the front entry. Give your best to refresh your porch and the front door so these elements can make a great first impression. Start from a front entry mat and clean it from leaves and debris. After you’re done, check the state of your door, and apply a fresh coat of paint if needed. If you have some spare paint, go ahead and do the same with the porch and windows. This effort won’t cost you a lot, and the outcome will be very appealing.

Focus on the kitchen

Keep in mind that all investments you make in remodeling and refreshing your kitchen will repay generously in the long run. People would like to see a modern and spacious kitchen, and if you make them fall in love with your kitchen, you’ll easily close the deal. Because of that, direct a big chunk of staging budget toward buying new appliances, changing old knobs and lightbulbs, and painting worn out kitchen cabinets.

Don’t save on bathroom as well

Another important room is most certainly the bathroom. Potential homeowners will go there after the kitchen, and if they find it appealing, chances for selling will drastically increase. Clean up the bathroom and remove all your belongings, leaving all surfaces clean and shiny. Add some fluffy towels, decorative baskets with natural cosmetics and replace all elements that are outdated.

Improve the living room

The only thing you should think about while staging the living room is a comfort. People like to sit or lay down there after a long day, and this room should provide them with serenity. You’ll need some cozy couches, decorated with soft cushions and fluffy pillows. Place the coffee table in the center of the room and make an intimate conversation area. Pay some attention to walls, and decorate them with some contemporary art, or discreet murals. Your next stop should be the lighting and the best way of controlling it is by installing some pretty drapes. Think about visiting a store to buy curtains, which will increase the level of privacy and coziness.

Make a sanctuary in the bedroom

The bedroom has to be a place where the new owner can fall asleep quickly and get ready for the next day. You’ll achieve this appeal by removing all big pieces of furniture. Leave just the bed and a couple of nightstands and lamps. People like to see a spacious bedroom with a well-made bed. Make sure to use quality bedding and soft pillows since those final touches may lead the buyer to fall in love with your house and buy it immediately.

Get out once again

Once your front yard and interior are taken care of, you may focus on the backyard. You won’t need much money to stage it, so go ahead and start with the good old cleaning. The chances of selling the property will rise significantly in case you have a deck or a pergola behind the house. It would be great if you have a small organic garden back there, so new buyers can engage in a healthy lifestyle after buying a house. Clean the pool, remove all leaves, paint the deck if needed and install a mobile barbecue so the new owner can spend some quality family time during the weekends.

Final thoughts on staging like a pro

There are many more great ideas on how to attract potential buyers and sell the house quickly, and those described above are just some of the most crucial ones. Start slowly and stay within a budget. Spending a lot of money on staging won’t ensure a bigger price. You’ll need to get creative and put yourself in the buyer’s shoes. Think about your favorite rooms, devices, and amenities before you start staging the property. If all of that is too hard for you, feel free to seek an advice from a professional, in order to maximize the return on investment.

Other Home Staging Recources:

• Kyle Hiscock  Home Staging on a Budget
• Paul Sian  Make Your Luxury Home Stand Out Amongst the Competition
• Debbie Drummond  Should I Sell My Home Before Selling?
• Listly  Home Staging Tips and Tricks

Staging Like A Pro: Make Your Home More Appealing To Buyers was guest post written by Helen Bradford and avid writer covering interior design and home improvement tips.