If you’re looking to sell your home of any size or type, staging goes a long way to get it sold quickly. Homes are most appealing to buyers when they can picture themselves living there. Cleaning what you’ve got is important, but it’s not enough. Taking the extra steps to rearrange furniture, place items in storage, and rent attractive décor will have dramatic results.
First impressions are everything. While prospective buyers are meeting the real estate agent at the front door, the exterior of the home needs to look maintained, attractive, and inviting. Simple landscaping, a clean exterior, and shining windows are must-haves. A welcome mat is a classic touch.
The interior should be clear of all clutter. The local storage units near you are your saviour. Place mismatching furniture, décor, personal possessions, and packed boxes safely in storage for short- or long-term periods. If you’re in the Toronto area, Abacus Self Storage provides a variety of clean, secure, climate-controlled options. Your unit will also be useful during the moving and transition period, including after you’ve settled and need extra time to sell items or to accommodate set-up.
Hopefully your spring cleaning last season was successful because it will make this intense, detail-cleaning easier! Pay attention to bathrooms: dirty grout is a turn-off and a red flag for the entire house or apartment. Put anything too dusty or uncleanable in your storage unit. Don’t forget to look UP! Ceilings often get neglected, but viewers of your home won’t miss them.
Place mirrors of different sizes in strategic places to increase light reflection and the feeling of open spaces. Rearrange furniture to allow for easy movement. Try to capture the feeling of each room’s purpose: cozy and relaxing bedrooms, an attractive and accommodating living room, clean bathrooms, a creative kitchen, easy-to-navigate hallways and stairways. Remove personal items like photos; it may seem counterintuitive if you want to create a homey feel, but viewers will want to envision themselves living there, not you. Instead, you can rent beautiful yet neutral art.
Extra details like the smell of living spaces will make an impression. Scents can provoke emotions and encourage the right atmosphere (or the wrong one). Be sure not to overpower rooms with perfumes – get the opinion of your real estate agent before spraying. Always use all-natural, hypoallergenic scents to not aggravate any potential buyers. House plants and fresh flowers that are integrated into the décor look best. Many elaborate bouquets are overkill.
If you’re anxious about several repeat groups of people going through your home, keep possessions safe in your storage unit. High quality facilities will have several security measures in-place and contents insurance available to offer extra peace-of-mind.
You’ve chosen to stage your home to increase the price you can get for it but spending a lot to achieve this cancels out the added benefit. Staging your home need not be a massive expense. There are many ways to spruce up your place on a small budget. Cleanliness and clearing clutter are the most important things you can do; so, with the help of an inexpensive self storage unit, you can achieve a nicely-staged home cheaply.