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One of the most important things you can do before you list your home for sale is to stage it. Home staging refers to arranging the home’s furnishings and decor so it looks as good as possible. In other words, you use the decor and furnishings to make the home look like a showroom, so buyers walk in and feel instantly at home. This can help your house sell more quickly and for a better price. If you’re interested in starting the home staging process, here’s how to do it.
Clutter is the enemy of a fast home sale. It makes a home look crowded and unkempt. Purge and clean until your home looks as empty as possible. This may mean sending some items to storage while the home’s on the market, but the more you can get out of the house, the better.
Next, change the arrangement of your furniture. Often you will need to remove some pieces to make the home look larger.
In the living areas, pull couches, chairs and tables away from walls to allow them to float in the room. This actually makes the room look larger and inviting. Use an area rug to create a chatting area.
In bedrooms, make sure there is plenty of space on the floor showing. Get rid of a nightstand or dresser if you need to temporarily, so the home looks larger.
As you go through your home to stage it, look for things that are highly personal to your family. Family pictures, children’s artwork, or an heirloom item that has meaning to you, but does not add to the home’s look, can all be removed. You want the home to look and feel like a perfectly staged model home, not your personal, comfortable space.
If you need to paint a room or add a piece of decor, make it as neutral as possible. Again, this will help buyers feel at home, no matter what their personal tastes may be. Bright colors are best avoided when staging a home.
Cleaning your home as you stage it is unlike any other cleaning you have done. You need to clean it as deeply as you can so that it shines from top to bottom. This shows that you take care of your home, and makes buyers feel more confident that they won’t be purchasing a lemon. In addition, patch and repair anything you find, including holes and scratches in the paint.
Staging a home is a bit time consuming, but the rewards are worth the effort. About half of all buyers’ agents report that home staging changes how a buyer views a home. You want the buyer to have a positive experience in your home, so stage it well!
Kim Cuomo brings a 25 year wealth of experience and passion to the world of real estate, having dedicated over two decades to serving clients across the vibrant landscapes of South Florida. With a background as a paralegal, Kim's transition into real estate was not just a career change, but a discovery of her true calling. Her deep-rooted love for the industry is evident in the personalized, hands-on approach she adopts with each client, ensuring they feel valued and supported through every step of their journey.
Whether navigating the complexities of a first-time home purchase or orchestrating the sale of a luxurious $30 million estate, Kim's expertise spans the full spectrum of residential and commercial real estate. Her reach extends across Palm Beach County, Martin County, St. Lucie County, Broward County, and Miami-Dade County, offering a comprehensive understanding of the unique markets within each area.
Kim Cuomo's dedication to excellence and her ability to forge meaningful connections with clients make her not just an agent, but a trusted advisor and friend in one of the most significant transactions of their lives. Her commitment to providing exceptional service is unwavering, making her a standout professional in the South Florida real estate scene.
