1. De-Clutter. A clean, de-cluttered house not only makes a home more enticing, but is one of the most important steps that can make or break a sale.
2. Make a Neutral Environment/ Space. This includes de-personalizing your homewares, photos and other personal belongings. Everyone's tastes are different, so a neutral space allows them to visualize their own belongings in your home.
3. Define each room. Give the buyer imagination/ a visual purpose for each room. Buyers are not always creative, therefore setting the scene for them is very important.
4. Minor home repairs/ improvements. If there is a broken door, or small hole, please take an extra hour to repair any unsightly marks, holes, repairs. A buyer will notice and it could impair a sale or at best, reduce the asking price when it is possibly an easy fix.
5. Make your home feel welcoming. Potential buyers become emotional when seeking out their possible 'new home'. Make an effort to stage your home with simple things that don't cost the earth. Examples are:
- Artworks/ Prints. Bright coloured artwork does not have to be expensive. So purchase a small to medium sized print. If staged well, the buyer may even want to purchase it with the house! A good Ocean Photograph is also a must!
- Candles. They not only look beautiful and are great staging accessories, but choose one with essential oils and they will bring a wonderful scent and atmosphere to the room for a buyer. You could even light one prior to the open house!
- Flowers. A stunning, simple and cost effective staging item that is perfect on a dining table, kitchen or entrance way. A nice way to make a house feel like a home.
- Food/ Drink Staging. There is nothing that says 'home' more than the smell of freshly baked goods which look great in a basket or on a feature plate, set on the benchtop. Or if it is in the evening, a nice cheese platter set with a couple of wine glasses will certainly tease a buyer too!
6. Lighting. You may think that daytime open homes do not need lighting, but the truth is far from that. Light creates ambience and also brightens dark rooms that may appear small or uninviting. So don't overlook this step. Choose lamps or warmer lights as opposed to bright or overhead lighting which can not only appear stark, but also can show up flaws in paint etc.
7. Furniture. Keep it simple. A simple palette and 'less is more' will again allow potential buyers to view their styles and furniture in the space.
8. Enjoy the process! A few little things go a long way! It is worth the extra effort and will be lots of fun to do!
xo Migii
