Selling your home is a big and exciting process. Presumably, you’ll be moving somewhere better, perhaps either a bigger house or a more attractive neighborhood, and the thrill of those new conditions will make all the stresses of selling your old house worth it (we hope).
But as we all know, there are stresses in selling a home, and they can be significant. Fortunately, there are some strategies you can adopt to make the process go faster, and more in your favor.

The “Staging” Concept

Unless you’re in a highly comfortable economic position, you’re unlikely to be able to manage two mortgages at the same time for very long. So it’s imperative that you sell your home quickly.
At this stage of the game, it’s too late for major renovations; attempting them will only arbitrarily raise your home’s value, and you won’t get to enjoy them for any meaningful time yourself. At the same time, it’s in your best interest to make modifications that will increase your home’s value and general appeal.
This process is known as “staging” a home, and can help you sell it faster … and possibly get a bit more cash out of the deal in the process.

Requirements for Effective Strategies

Before you start making impromptu changes to your home in anticipation of the sale, keep some of the following requirements in mind. They’ll help you make only efficient improvements and maximize your return on investment (ROI). An ideal home staging strategy will:

• Improve the aesthetics. The goal here is simple, though subjective. You want to make your home “prettier” or otherwise easier on the eyes. This can include making up for a deficit, such as a crack in your walls, or improving something that’s already there, like repainting.
• Evoke an emotional appeal. The idea is to try to make your home appear more cozy, which makes it seem more pleasant to live in. This often goes hand in hand with the aesthetic improvement.
• Increases practical value. A good staging strategy should also increase the bottom-line value of your home in some way, which will enable you to boost your asking price or otherwise make the deal more appealing to buyers.
• Cost a reasonable amount. You don’t want to invest too much, or you won’t see a return.

Strategies for Staging a Home

With those criteria in mind, here are eight of the most effective home-staging strategies you can use:

1. Paint your exterior. Painting the exterior of a home is one of the most cost-efficient and visually striking upgrades you can make for staging a home. The structure’s exterior creates the first impression for new visitors, which means at least two things. First, a new coat of paint will make a strong impression on any new potential homebuyers, and second, it will increase the long-term value of your home. This may help you cover up for any blemishes or wear and tear your home’s exterior has suffered, but more important, it will make your home seem prettier and more up to date. Best of all, it doesn’t cost much compared to other renovations.
2. Paint your home’s interior. The inside of your home can make an equally powerful statement. The color, prominence, and visual appeal of your walls can have a terrific impact on how people feel about the space, and give you the chance to make a stronger impression once your prospective home buyers come inside. You can also use the color and style of paint to increase the “coziness” or livability of various rooms. You’ll be amazed by the difference it makes, and it won’t cost much to do it.
3. Empty and organize your closets. Make your closets look roomier by clearing them out. Feel free to keep a few items in there, to demonstrate the size on a relative scale, but make sure the space remains tidy and organized. Closets make a bigger impression on prospective buyers than you might think.
4. Minimize your pets’ presence. Not everyone loves pets, and they can be a turnoff for new home hunters. Try to mask your pets’ presence by keeping them away when prospective buyers are touring, and fixing or cleaning any signs of your pets’ existence, such as fur or scratch marks.
5. “De-personalize” your home. Though it may sound strange, “de-personalizing” your home can actually help you make a bigger impact on strangers when they come to see it for the first time. This includes taking down anything that only you or your family would appreciate, such as photos of relatives or personal effects. Decorations are good, but keep them as neutral as possible.
6. Clean the windows. Cleaning the house in general should go without saying, but most people miss the windows when they focus on the home’s interior. Thoroughly cleaning the windows (both inside and outside) will only take an hour or two, and it can make your home seem cleaner and more updated. More important, it will let more light in, which makes your home seem more spacious and welcoming.
7. Create more interior space through creative furniture placement. Arrange your furniture differently to create more space in the home. You can move furnishings closer to the center so guests have more room to walk around, or angle pieces around a central point to create more space for individual rooms.
8. Add a scent throughout the home. This is a small step, but it can help you nail that aesthetic and emotional appeal. A simple scent such as cinnamon or lavender can create a pleasant “air” that guests can’t quite pinpoint, and give them a positive impression of the home without them realizing it. It may also help you cover up any unpleasant scents lurking about.

A Note on Painting

We already mentioned that painting, both in the interior and exterior of your home, is one of the most valuable and practical ways you can stage your house for sale, but there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind for these jobs.
You’ll need to use a high-quality paint, choose the right color(s), and work with the right contractor at a minimum, if you really want to get your money’s worth. If you’re interested in a free quote from an experienced painting contractor, be sure to contact Tulsa Christian Brothers today!