7 Home Staging Tips to Nail Your Sale

• Depersonalize
• Declutter
• Optimize lighting
• Choose a scent
• Set the table
• Increase your curb appeal
• Complete renovations

1. Depersonalize

One of the first things you need to do to stage your home is depersonalize. Take all your family pictures off the walls and remove any type of religious, political, or personal odds and ends that make your home feel lived in. Prospective buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your house. Additionally, stick to a neutral color scheme when it comes to the decorative accents you leave out.

Pro Tip: Selling during the holidays? You don’t have to miss out on decking your halls. Try these neutral winter decor ideas.

2. Declutter

Unless you’ve already moved into your next home, you still have to live in your current one while keeping it showing-ready. A deep clean every time your real estate agent brings someone over might not be sustainable, but at the very least you should maintain a decluttered environment. Decluttering can make your home appear bigger than it is, and generally help potential buyers envision how they might use the space. Before you list your home, move extra items to a temporary storage unit (or get rid of them altogether to speed up packing).

3. Optimize lighting

Lighting influences our mood more than we realize. In terms of home staging tips, the amount of light plays a big factor in whether somebody buys a home. A well-lit home can feel larger, cleaner, and more inviting when it’s being shown. To stage your home for sale, replace old light bulbs, clean your windows, open the blinds, and embrace the natural light.

4. Choose a scent

This one’s especially important if you have pets (or kids for that matter). If your home is carpeted, consider getting it replaced or deep cleaned before you list your house. You can sprinkle some baking soda to neutralize carpet odors as well. If you want to add a scented candle or oil diffuser to the mix, just make sure you choose something that’s not too overpowering.

5. Set the table

Don’t worry, there’s no cooking required for this home staging tip. You’re showing your home, not hosting a dinner party. However, setting the table is a welcoming touch that can make your house feel more like home—and help a potential buyer picture their own family living there. You can skip the cutlery, but a seasonal centerpiece on the dining room table is never a bad idea. 

6. Increase your curb appeal

When you’re selling your home, first impressions matter. That’s why curb appeal is important to consider when staging. At the very least, make sure your lawn is manicured and the exterior of your home is clean. If you’re selling during the holiday season, keep your outdoor decor neutral. Some warm-toned white string lights are always a winner. A flashing neon tableau of Santa gracing the nativity scene with his presence, on the other hand? Save it for next year.

7. Complete renovations

You don’t want to invest a large amount of money into a home just to sell it. Still, it’s important to finish up any ongoing projects before listing. Some common repairs include leaky faucets, damaged screens, and clogged drains. Anything that could deter a potential buyer from loving your home should be fixed. If you’re not sure which repairs to prioritize, check out our breakdown of what NOT to fix when selling your home.

Bonus home staging tips

Before you go, we’ve got a few more tips on how to stage your home for sale.

• Mount mirrors on your walls to amplify light and space
• Don’t shove everything in your closets, as buyers will likely be checking these spaces
• Give each room a purpose (that guest bedroom/home gym/office’s days are numbered)
• Incorporate house plants throughout

Your home can’t be everything to everyone, so don’t stress too much about incorporating every single piece of staging advice out there. Remember that these are just ideas, not requirements. The overall goal is simple: Help buyers see the potential in your home.

From interior decor to landscaping, the little details can make a big difference when staging your home for sale.

The post 7 Home Staging Tips to Nail Your Sale appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

As the home buying market slowly warms up, buyers are getting their checklists ready in search of the perfect place to fit their needs. But a potential problem with that approach is that you might not consider the long view of a property. As you shop, you may be only looking at a house as a potential buyer, not as someone who, several years down the road, may have to sell that property.

So what adds value to homes? Some say it’s the curb appeal or the school district. But what about the less obvious features? Whether you’re a Baby Boomer or you’re just looking to move out of your starter home, here’s your home buying guide for experienced buyers.

On the hunt for home

1. Location

The house you’re touring may have the worst wallpaper or the ugliest bathtub you’ve ever seen, but if that house is on a great block in a good school district, it has lasting potential. Don’t take every house you see at face value. Each property has a story that fits into the larger location. If the location is prime, the house might be worth keeping on your list.

2. Don’t buy the best house on the block

Once you find a great location, avoid buying the best house on the block. This may sound strange, but there’s financial backing to it, and that’s crucial in a home buying guide for experienced buyers. If the home has already been renovated and has all the lovely landscaping and curb appeal, there isn’t much room for your investment to grow. With that, it’s actually better to buy the worst house on the best block and fix it up to match the standard found in the rest of the houses. This will, in time, add great return value on your investment.

3. The home’s position on the lot

This is one of those less obvious features we mentioned. How often do you really consider the home’s position on the lot as a factor in your home search? Maybe you didn’t before, but it’s something to observe. How close is the home to the street? The overgrown tree in the yard? The neighbor’s living room windows? Even if these aren’t concerns for you now as a buyer, they may prove to be problems when you try to sell the property in the future.

4. School district

As an experienced buyer, you’re probably looking to move into a better neighborhood for your kids. Many parents make school districts the starting point of their home search and, based on demand for high quality schools, the best districts may come with higher home prices. Even if you don’t have children, purchasing in a good school district is still a smart move. Usually, in places where the schools are desirable, the homes in that area will hold their value. Because of this trend, it’s wise to be aware of how the schools in your area are doing, just like you would keep tabs on the city government or neighborhood developments.

5. The character of the neighborhood

What’s the best gauge to see whether a neighborhood is in good character? Visit it at night. A single night drive through the prospective neighborhood will give you an excellent picture of the safety as well as the general mood of the area. Is anyone walking around? Do you hear shouting or loud music? Use your intuition on this one. If it just doesn’t feel right, your senses may be picking up on things you can’t explain. In addition to your night drive, visit the neighborhood at other times of the day to observe traffic and the neighbors. Are kids playing outside? Do the houses and cars seem to be well kept? You may even want to stop and ask the neighbors questions about the area, if you feel comfortable.

6. Crime check

You can’t have a home buying guide for experienced buyers (or first-time buyers, for that matter) without a look at the neighborhood crime figures. The fact is, you’ll never find a neighborhood with absolutely no crime. Research the area online, ask your real estate agent, or visit the local police department and see if you can ask questions to those dealing with the crime firsthand. Find out what the crime rate has been like in the neighborhood and decide whether that fits your standard of safety.

7. Walking distance

Now more than ever, “walkability” is becoming an important factor in home searches. People want to know how convenient it will be for them to get from their future home to their kids’ school, public transportation stops, recreation facilities, and convenience stores. If the culture continues to shift toward ridesharing and public transportation, the walkability of a home will increase its value and desire.

8. The implications of a fixer-upper

If your home search has resulted in the perfect home that just needs some work, are you prepared to take on that additional financial burden? Can your current lifestyle support the work of a home renovation? A fixer-upper could either sound like a major burden or a fun and exciting project. In either case (or if you’re somewhere in between) make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. In part, this means researching the costs to make the changes you want before you buy. Check out the local zoning and building codes and have the property inspected first—this will save you so much time and money—and emotional stress!

9. Fees outside of your mortgage

A good home buying guide for experienced buyers confesses that your mortgage payment and utility bills aren’t the only items on your home’s monthly bill. Many people overlook the other monthly fees associated with homeownership. You’ll most likely have to pay property taxes, and planned communities or HOAs will have fees and dues associated with your home. To help set accurate expectations, make sure that the property taxes and assessments are clear right from the start. Get involved with your new home’s HOA before you buy and be on the lookout for community changes in the works or signs that show whether the Association is well funded.

10. Long term value

Your real estate agent can help you with this one. Ask them if the home will hold its value over time, based on the trends of the neighborhood. You’ve done this before, so you know it’s possible you may sell your house again in the future. Even though the current market may be favorable for buyers now, will you be in a seller’s market later? Obviously, you can’t know these things for sure, but there are plenty of helpful online guides that make predictions based on the rise and fall of home values.

Making the decision

11. Buy before you sell

As a home shopper who already owns their current home, you will come up against this tricky decision to buy or sell first. There are pros and cons either way, but in general, buying your next home before you sell your current home will put you in a better position for several reasons. For one, you won’t feel pressured to accept low offers simply because you need to move into a house fast. You also won’t have to work out living arrangements while you’re between homes. And who looks forward to packing a whole houseful of things more than once? Although buying first can be a risky decision if you aren’t in a financial position to cover two mortgages for a short amount of time, it may be the better option if you financially qualify.

12. Don’t be afraid of technology

The culture is increasingly going digital (even in the housing industry) so don’t fight it when it comes to your mortgage. As an experienced buyer, this isn’t your first rodeo, so you’re going to want to make this process quick and streamlined. Embrace the speed of technology and ask your lender and real estate agent for online resources they know and trust to help make your search easier.

Take it from the experts

This isn’t our first rodeo either! As an experienced buyer, you want the best and the fastest. We’ve got the tools and expertise to guide you through your next home purchase.

The post Home Buying Guide for Experienced Buyers appeared first on Cardinal Financial.