How to Avoid These Home Staging Mistakes!
I was browsing the listings on Realtor.com and was shocked by these home staging mistakes.
Seriously. I often look through listings to gauge the current market. After all, as a home stager I need to know what people are buying, as well as what makes people say “no thanks.” I took an interest in the homes with recently reduced prices, because it is a good indication of homes that are being passed over.
After pouring over the homes with no takers, I compiled a list of serious staging mistakes as well as suggestions for improvement. Even if you are planning to sell your home without using a home staging service, you should take my professional advice. If a home doesn’t look incredible in the listing photos, it will cost you a lot of money.
Staging Mistake #1: Too much clutter
For anyone who has watched HGTV, you are familiar with the term “de-clutter.” This term is pretty non-specific, and it means different things to different people. Let me help to clarify: You need to think more like a minimalist when preparing a home for sale.
Too many wall decorations, too many patterns in one room. Too many items that–even if they are organized–give the sense of an overstuffed space.
Minimizing the number of items in a space is a great rule of thumb. Remove items that don’t add anything to the room. Use storage baskets in pantries and closets to present a tidy appearance. Take down the photo collages and put up a single large piece of canvas art–they’re inexpensive. Finally, no more than three patterns in a room–it’s overwhelming.
Staging Mistake #2: Too much furniture!
When people have lived in a home, they become accustomed to the furnishings. However, the camera doesn’t lie. If there is too much furniture in a space, the camera will reveal a crowded room that will feel small to a buyer.
Think minimally! Take a few candid snapshots of your space and believe what your eyes tell you. If the room has very little walking space, or if the furniture visually closes the entry to the room, you need change. Re-arranging the furnishings or removing pieces may do the trick. Perhaps that extra table could be used in another room or in the foyer.
Staging Mistake #3: Outdated decor
Ok, I get it. Who wants to invest any money in a house that they are selling? Not many people. However, spending $50 for a set of new, inspiring pillows for the living room will give buyers a good impression of your home. If your furnishings are old, worn, stained, or full of holes, consider scrapping them and renting updated replacements. The relatively small investment will make your home look current, and more buyers will be attracted to your home.
Staging Mistake #4: Failing to stage at all! (or insufficiently)
It is entirely possible to go too minimal! Even if you have already vacated the home, please consider doing a light stage for your home. It is extraordinarily difficult to imagine living in a home where there is no furniture. There is something about an empty house that just feels sad. Your sale price will likely be reflective of your lack of staging. Consider hiring a stager to rent furnishings and strategically stage your home if you’re just not feeling the love for your home anymore.
There are many times when people will leave a few random pieces of furniture in the home, and that isn’t any better than failing to stage. It’s also unhelpful to leave furnishings without setting a mood around them. For example, a bare table will do little to brighten a dining room. Consider adding a centerpiece or place settings to breathe life into the room.
Staging Mistake #5: Too personal!
Ultimately, it’s critical to realize that staging is decorating with the intent of marketing a home to prospective buyers. Take the overly personal touches out of rooms, or buyers will think of the house as yours and not their future home. Remove diplomas, personal photos, religious or cultural symbols, and any controversial art. Seriously, I once saw a piece of wall art with a topless mermaid in a home during a showing. Not impressive.
As you prepare for a home sale, it is helpful to enlist the services of a professional who provides non-judgmental yet honest feedback. No matter where you live, if you have access to a video phone, Gate City Design can give you the feedback and design advice you need to have a successful home sale. Contact Hillary for a no-obligation intake call to discuss your home staging challenges!
336-707-7324
Hillary McAlhany is the owner of Gate City Design. She is a certified professional home stager/redesigner, E-designer & color expert. Although she is based in North Carolina, she offers remote staging &design services outside of the central North Carolina region.
