Low Cost, High-Impact Staging Ideas that Work

Are you looking for affordable ways to spruce up your home to sell fast?

The right home staging can make your home 'pop' with potential buyers and bring top offers.

Here are some small things that will make a big difference when staging your home.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS - Curb Appeal

• Light the way to fast sales! If your porch light looks dated, replace it. Be sure that the bulbs are replaced; often this is the first thing buyers see when they pull up the driveway of your home.

• Crank up the curb appeal. Take a look at your front door, a new layer of paint can give it wow appeal. Trim the bushes; brighten up your landscaping bricks with a power washer; add fresh pots with flowers on the doorstep; and finally crown with an eye-catching welcome mat.

BIGGER OFFERS ARE AN INSIDE JOB

• Neutralize. The first impulse when buying a home is to personalize a space. You want to do the opposite to sell your home; look around and try to neutralize the space. Remove family photos; take the kid's pictures off of the refrigerator; paint over those marks on the door showing how tall your kids are. You want the buyer to envision that it's move-in ready and they fit right in.

• Clean up the clutter. Buyers want a feeling of space. Visually do an inspection of your home. Clear off countertops; tidy up the inside of cabinets; clean out the closets; put extra items in storage, donate, sell or toss them.

• Pour on the elbow grease. Now's the time to really make your home shine. Scrub baseboards; polish stainless steel; clean, scrub, shine, and make everything sparkle like new.

• Cash in by dressing up cabinetry. A budget-friendly way to instantly brighten up your kitchen is to paint wood cabinets and add knobs and handles. A new coat of paint can make worn, tired kitchen cabinets look new again.

• Beautify your bathroom. If your tub or toilet is dingy looking, you'll turn off buyers fast. An inexpensive way to fix this is with an acrylic tub surround and liner. Clean the grout between tiles and remove debris in drains. This will give a fresh, clean look to the bathroom. Also, if you have bathroom carpet, remove it and replace with new vinyl or ceramic tiles.

• Light it up. Set the mood with lighting. Make sure there is enough light flowing through the home. This doesn't mean turning on every light in the home. Instead use floor and table lamps and open curtains to create a soft, warm ambiance.

• Odors STINK when it comes to selling your home. The biggest culprits include stale air, food, pets, mildew, and smoking. Open windows to air out your home and use air filters to break up and neutralize odors in the air. Products like Febreeze can freshen up curtains or furniture. Then remember to light a softly scented candle on the day of showing. Be cautious about this though, sometimes strong scents can be as big a turn off as bad odors; you might want to consider using an "air sponge" which will neutralize the offensive odor.

• Add eye candy. When your home is ready, adding little touches like bowls of fresh fruit, a vase of flowers or plants can add warmth and colour to any room.
Finally, consulting with a home stager can provide a wealth of ideas. A home stager can recommend more effective furniture arrangements, paint colours, and tips/tricks to make your home visually appealing.

Follow these tips and you'll be on your way to selling your home fast!