5 DIY Home Staging Tips

Are you preparing your home for sale? If you're getting ready to put your property on the market, your mission is to make your home as appealing to prospective buyers as possible — especially if you want to sell your home for the most significant profit imaginable. So how do you earn the highest profit possible on your listing without spending thousands of dollars on time-consuming home renovations? By tackling some DIY projects! Taking on simple, do-it-yourself projects, you can breathe new life into your home and showcase some of your house's best features without breaking the bank. From the kitchen to the exterior, here are some of the best DIY home staging tips that draw in more buyers and help you earn top dollar for your listing.

The old saying, “Don't judge a book by its cover,” may apply to the books you find at your local library, but this doesn't hold for your home. First impressions matter, and nowhere is this more true than it is in real estate. Your home's exterior will be their first impression of the house, and what they see on the outside will determine whether they want to see more or if they move on to the next listing. By updating your home's curb appeal, you are not only giving buyers a positive first impression but also enticing them to see the rest of your property. In fact, up to 92% of realtors recommend sprucing up your curb appeal to draw more buyers in. You can do simple fixes, like mowing your lawn and trimming overgrown bushes and tree branches. Other excellent do-it-yourself projects include:

These minor updates are inexpensive and can significantly impact your home's curb appeal.

Do you have those home repairs you have been putting off for years? Are your light fixtures and hardware dingy and old? Now is the time to upgrade. Many of these repairs, such as changing light fixtures, updating kitchen hardware, and putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls, are inexpensive projects that will revitalize the space and draw buyers in. If there are other repairs you need to do, like fixing a door hinge or tightening up a stairs railing, be sure to get that done before your house hits the market.

Most buyers are not interested in taking on home repairs, and if they see a laundry list of items they'll need to fix, they will either move on to another listing or send you a lower offer than you want. Investing some time and elbow grease is worthwhile when you want to sell your home for top dollar.

When staging your home for sale, one of the most important things to consider is the impression your space makes to the buyer. The entire purpose of listing your home for sale is to find a qualified buyer to submit an offer on your property, and a surefire way to get an offer is to make your home as welcoming as possible. That's why you have worked hard on do-it-yourself projects, cleaning, and getting the house ready for the market.

Yet, one of the most overlooked aspects that can quickly derail your showing is the over-personalization of the space. If your home is full of wedding and graduation pictures, and other personal items, your buyers will feel like they are invading your space, which will cause a negative mental shift and deter them from wanting to submit an offer. Remove all personal items in your home, such as family photos, to help buyers visualize their items in your space better.

If you were to tour a listing, what would be the number one turn-off for you as a buyer? For many, it would be entering a messy, cluttered home. Nothing stresses buyers out more than walking through cluttered, tight spaces. No matter how big and nice your property is, if your house is cluttered, your buyers will never be able to see past the mess, and they will overlook the features that made you fall in love with your home in the first place.

By decluttering the space, you will keep your property clean and help prospective buyers better visualize their furniture and decorative pieces within the space. Because you are moving, now is the perfect time to eliminate any unnecessary clutter you don't need. Decide what you want to sell, donate, or keep, and act accordingly. Pack up what you don't need, and put things in storage. Renting a storage container would be ideal.

You don't have to be repair-savvy to take on do-it-yourself projects. In fact, one of the best ways to make your home market-ready involves nothing more than a broom, cleaning solution, and a little bit of elbow grease. Before your property hits the market, ensure your home is clean from top to bottom. Clean every inch of the space, especially the kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and bedrooms. Eliminate foul smells, including food or pet odors, to make your home airy and fresh. Foul smells and messes immediately turn off many buyers. Buyers love walking through clean homes. Even if you have pets and small children, keeping your home clean is crucial. If you don't have time to do it yourself, hire a professional cleaning service. A clean home is always worth the investment.

Are you considering selling your home? Whether you are preparing for a cross-country move or you are searching for homes for sale in Rutherford, selling your current home is crucial in order for you to find your dream home, and that's where we come in! Backed by three generations of industry experience and local market expertise, Jeff Earl Warren and his team are your trusted resource in Rutherford real estate. Our customer-driven sales technique provides our sellers with exceptional results you won't find anywhere else. If you're ready to move, give us a call today, and we'll provide you with a free home valuation.