DIY Home Staging On a Budget

DIY Home Staging On a Budget

 March 16, 2015

As a Realtor, you understand the importance of first impressions. If your listings don’t appeal to potential buyers from the word go, you’ll have a hard time convincing them to dish out money. Your listings must be impeccable both indoors and out because buyers look everywhere. Fortunately, your sellers don’t have to spend a lot of money to make their homes stand out. They can stage their homes without the help of professional stagers. Here are some DIY home staging tips to share with sellers.

Revitalize with Paint

Paint can freshen up a room, create a nice flow between rooms, and highlight architectural details of a property. It is a wonderful and inexpensive way of updating a home. Depending on how their homes look, sellers can either touch up the trim or paint their properties entirely. They should cover kids’ blue and pink rooms with neutral colors and paint old kitchen cabinets. It is impossible to go wrong with neutral colors like cream, white, beige, and warm gray. When buying paint, sellers should choose colors which complement their décor.

Pack Personal Items in Advance

A home filled with many personal items is a major distraction to buyers. Additionally, buyers aren’t able to visualize themselves in the space. Since your sellers plan to move as soon as they sell their properties, tell them to start packing to simplify the process. When rooms are filled with too many items, they look small and buyers think there isn’t enough space. Sellers should pack unused items and move them to storage facilities. Once buyers see the spacious rooms, they’ll scoop up the homes.

Clean and Deodorize

There is no need to stage a dirty, smelly house because buyers won’t want to see it. When buyers walk into a home and smell something strange or see dirt, they are turned off immediately. Advise sellers to clean their homes and spray lovely fragrances sparingly before showings. They can also brew coffee, bake cookies, or burn cinnamon sticks. Homeowners must never mask bad smells with air fresheners as this can intensify the smells. Those with money to spare can enlist the services of professional cleaners.

Add Life to the Curb Appeal

The exterior is one place that must not be overlooked during staging. It is just as important as a home’s interior. When a potential buyer visits a property or drives by, it is the first thing he sees. Sellers only have one opportunity to make a great first impression. Buyers are few out there and if they don’t make an effort to spruce up their homes, they will lose out.

Tell sellers to mow their lawns, add mulch, clean their sidewalks and driveways, and ensure their house numbers are visible. They can also plant flowers, add faux finishes to corner keystones, and apply stone sealer to walkway pavers. They will not only entice passing buyers, they will make their homes buyer magnets

Pay Attention to Small Details

Small details can make a big difference. Tell sellers to add lovely features to their homes to make them warm and inviting. They can place flower vases in their living rooms, accentuate furniture with throw pillows, and add matching towel sets to their bathrooms.

Every seller who puts his home on the market expects to get top dollar. However, this is easier said than done. Some sellers spend thousands of dollars in order to increase their chances of attracting buyers. If your clients don’t have thousands to spend, tell them not to worry. They can take matters into their own hands and perk up their homes. All they need are these DIY home staging tips.


Ronique Gibson

By Ronique Gibson

Ronique Gibson is an Associate Architect and a LEED Accredited Professional, who has been in the design industry for over 13 years. She started her design blog in 2009 and today it has become a premier destination for helping homeowners with everyday lifestyle challenges. Her readers check in daily for help with their homes, DIY project ideas, recipes, crafts, and inspiration to beautify and enjoy their homes.