Let's face it: a first impression makes all the difference, whether you're at a job interview, business meeting, or on a first date. You only get one first impression! Make your potential buyers fall in love with your home using the helpful staging tips below.
Staging your Maine home leaves an excellent first impression for potential buyers, and it can reduce the duration of the home selling process and add value to your home. According to a 2017 Report by the National Association of Realtors, 62% of realtors who spent time staging homes for sale saw a decrease in time those homes spent on the market. Half of all sellers report that home staging increased the dollar amount at closing by 1% to 10%.
Home staging has low risk and high reward. It shortens the journey to closing and improves your odds of getting your asking price. Suppose you're looking to do something new to increase your home’s value and prepare to sell your home in Maine. Here are four ways to stage your home in Maine to sell for top dollar.
1. Boost Your Curb Appeal
Even if a first showing is the first impression, it begins before your buyers even walk through the front door. What they see when they drive by, or even when they walk up to the house, the question “could this be my next home?” enters the potential buyer’s mind. Cultivating that first impression from the moment they set eyes on your listing can be the difference between a drive-by and a phone call.
Some of the Easiest Ways to Boost Your Curb Appeal Include:
- Power wash the siding, gutters, and roof of your home.
- Paint the front door a warm, inviting color and polish or upgrade the door handle.
- Clean or replace your mailbox, house numbers, patio furniture, and welcome mat.
- Plants! Enhance your flower beds and instantly make your front yard more vibrant and lively.
Most realtors agree that curb appeal is one of the most critical parts of home staging. Find an agent best suited for your home selling needs at Meservier & Associates.
2. Turn Your “Extra Room” Into an Office
No trend has accelerated more rapidly in the last year than working from home, and working remotely is a trend that’s here to stay. As more companies embrace remote work, the ability to highlight your Maine home as both a comfortable place to live and an enjoyable workspace is more important than ever.
3. Show Off Your Storage Space
Consistently one of the most overlooked areas for home staging, showing off the storage spaces in your garage, closets, cabinets, and pantry makes all the difference. It’s also essential to make sure that your storage spaces look as large and well-utilized as possible. Staging storage space is less glamorous than staging a beautiful modern kitchen or a luxurious master bedroom, but making storage space a highlight of your home could end up making all the difference.
The Best Ways to Stage Your Maine Home’s Storage Spaces Include:
- Clean and declutter to use every square inch of space the most effectively. Organized storage spaces look neater, cleaner, and bigger.
- Remodel closets, pantries, shelving, and other storage areas to create more aesthetically pleasing spaces. If you are looking to paint, choose a more neutral color, such as white or an off-white tone.
- Don’t be afraid to decorate! Ideally, your storage spaces should be less than full because it makes them look larger and more appealing.
4. Liven Up Your Living Room
If you’re not asleep or at work, where do you spend the most time in your home? For most people, the answer is the living room, where your family comes together to unwind. Stage your home so buyers can see the space as more than just a living room. Stage your home so buyers see your living room as a place for family time, holiday get-togethers, or space where they sit back and relax in after a long day at work.
How Do I Convince Buyers My Living Room Is Their Next Living Room?
- Organize. Your entire home should be clean and clutter-free, but this is even more important in your living room. Make sure you repair any minor maintenance issues too.
- Mind your lighting. Whether it’s dimming overhead lights, or adding a lamp in the space, use lighting to set a cozy mood for buyers. Consider painting the walls in your living room a lighter color such as white, grey, or an off-white shade to maximize natural lighting in your space. Hanging a mirror across from your windows is an easy way to maximize natural lighting in your living room.
- Set the stage. Make sure you properly arrange your furniture for the best home staging experience. Pick your focal point (fireplace, chandelier, a scenic view) and build around that, pull furniture away from the walls to make the room look bigger. Create a vignette and put it on a coffee or end table, and use that to occupy any awkward spaces in your living room.
Most surveys show that the living room is the most critical room in the house for home staging. A 2017 study shows that 83% of realtors will stage living rooms when selling a home, the single most frequently staged area of the house. Make sure your living room is a cut above the rest, take time to deep clean the room, rearrange furniture, and turn your potential buyers into future owners.
Find an Agent Near You
Contact Meservier & Associates with any questions about home staging, or if you’re ready to put your Maine home on the market. You can also learn more about our seller services here.
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