When thinking about selling a home, you should strongly consider staging it. 

Why? 

Often, Buyers can struggle to visualize a property and the layout of a home. This is especially true if the home is cluttered with items and/or extra furniture. Staging a home allows them to visualize your home as their home despite any differences you may have.

You probably know the basics of home staging – declutter, depersonalize and clean. However, there are still some staging gaffes that can keep listings from selling faster, or getting more offers, than they have. 

As your Maple Ridge and Coquitlam Realtor specialists, here is our list of mistakes and misconceptions to avoid when preparing and staging your home for sale

#1: Home Staging Is Not Interior Decorating 

When trying to impress buyers, going for a trending decor style may not be the best idea. Popular design styles, such as boho or beachy, would tie your home to a specific personality. By doing so, you may also narrow the list of potential buyers. They may not resonate with your house and therefore may not see themselves living there. 

Instead, going for a transitional style would be the optimal option. This style is not too trendy, nor is it traditional. It balances all styles and creates a harmonic and cohesive environment

Some tips for incorporating this staging style into your home are to:

• Mix and match patterns and textures on sofas and pillows 
• Use rugs to define spaces
• Incorporate non-personal art, such as abstract, to add some colour to spaces

#2: Not Painting Your Walls

A fresh coat of paint can go long ways. It gives the walls a feeling of a brand-new home. It will also cover up any scratches and stains. 

Making your house feel light and neutral is important. But it’s also a possibility that it may make it bland and boring. Painting accent walls a different colour can stir your house in that direction and make a lasting impression. 

#3: You Staged, But Your House Is Dirty

We often become oblivious to dirty spots or smells in our own houses throughout the day-to-day. However, newcomers will notice them instantly. 

Make sure to do a deep cleaning of your home before it goes to the market. Having a deep cleaning checklist may help not to forget things like 

• Spots in the kitchen, baths and bedrooms
• Window cleaning 
• Washing carpets and polishing hardwood floors
• Removing cobwebs from any light fixtures 

Home staging is crucial, but if that comes along with a bad first impression because of a smell or dirty walls, you may lose a potential buyer. 

Our team will take most of the stress and guesswork out of buying or selling a home. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation chat if you’re interested in tips to make your home ready for potential buyers. 

#4: Poor Furniture Placement

Poor furniture placement may affect buyers’ perspectives of your home. Instead of placing them all against a wall, consider positioning your furniture so that it creates walkways and space for big windows. Ideally, furniture shouldn’t become a barrier and should create a traffic flow problem. 

Our team of Maple Ridge and Coquitlam REALTORs Ⓡ suggests playing with furniture arrangements. Consider focusing on rug placements, how people will move through the space during an open house and what would look best for your listing photos. 

#5: Using Too Many Little Items

Your potential buyers need to visualize themselves in the house you’re selling. Make sure to box up anything that adds too much information to the spaces. Having too many little items, either decorative or day-to-day items you may use, can overload your buyer with information. Making it as clean and decluttered as possible gives them more room for imagination and consideration.

#6: Neglecting The Outdoor Area

Aside from staging the outdoors with items like potted plants and deck furniture, basic lawn trimming and weed pulling shows that you’ve taken care of your home. 

Staging your outdoor area to its full potential can increase your selling power as it will bring interest and attention to your home. Buyers can envision a lifestyle and view themselves entertaining in that area instead of just noticing the square footage.

If you’re looking to sell your house and browse for new houses for sale in Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Maple Ridge or any of the surrounding cities in the lower mainland of Vancouver, give us a call or contact our real estate agent for a free, no-obligation chat! 

#7: Overstaging!

Yes – it’s possible to over-stage your home! If you feel like there’s too much decor that feels like they don’t belong there, then don’t include it in your home staging. Make sure your home feels comfortable and natural. Put yourself in your buyers’ shoes – would you envision yourself living there with the staging that the home has? 

Just remember: home staging is not what will make your home sell, but it will boost its selling power.

Still Got Questions? 

If you’re interested in any of our listings, working with our team, or have inquiries about our processes, the market or anything in between, get in touch with our real estate agents or reach out through Facebook or Instagram.