You’ve loved your home – you’ve lived in it, welcomed friends through its doors, maybe raised children there.
But now that you’ve decided to sell, it’s important to help prospective buyers see how they might do the same thing.
And that means helping them envision themselves in your home.
Home staging helps you sell your home quicker and maximize the offers you’ll receive, explain Victoria’s Sophia Briggs and Nancy Stratton, realtors with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.
“You want to highlight your home’s potential, and its most attractive assets,” Stratton says.
The two work with closely with Alexis Petrunia, from Abode Interior Styling, to help clients maximize their home’s potential.
“When they enter a space, a potential buyer may not have the vision to get a sense of how they’ll live in the home; with staging, you’re helping them do that,” Petrunia explains.
Here’s how to start:
1. It all begins with de-cluttering. Offering the additional benefit of getting the packing process started, de-cluttering is the first step in setting the stage for selling. “First and foremost, go through the home and de-clutter,” Petrunia suggests. Store away personal items, like an abundance of family photos and knick-knacks, and ensure there’s an easy flow from space to space.
2. Pay special attention to kitchen and bathrooms. Kitchens and baths are notorious for collecting clutter, especially as we use them every day, but they’re key rooms for home-buyers. Get rid of old or outdated items, pack up what you don’t use often and organize what you do, keeping counters clear.
3. Don’t forget drawers and cupboards. It’s easy to think sweeping everything behind closed doors will do the trick, but as homebuyers consider the largest purchase they’re likely to make, know that they’ll be opening drawers and peeking into cupboards to check out the storage. “When homebuyers tour a house they’re not shy about going through drawers and closets,” Petrunia says.
4. Got kids? Get storage! Anyone with children knows keeping a home tidy is challenging at the best of times, let alone when you’re trying to sell. “Attractive storage bins can be your best friends,” Petrunia says.
5. Highlight your home’s best assets. If you have an amazing front porch or light-filled living room, highlight those best features! If your spare bedroom isn’t as bright as it could be, open the curtains and add cheerful new bedding. A few flowers or plants can help liven up an entry or room, and with the realistic look of today’s artificial plants, they can be a super-easy addition too.
For more information about buying or selling in Victoria, visit strattonandbriggs.com; for help in staging your home for sale, contact alexis@abodeinteriorstyling.com
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