percent of the cost when they sold their home!
START STAGING WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE
Often, the trick with staging is to take out, rather than bring in. At base, home staging is about creating more space by clearing clutter, unnecessary objects, or furniture, giving the rooms a fresh, neutral color, and making necessary (and even cosmetic) repairs. Replacing carpets and floors is common. To avoid investing in new furniture (some do this or rent exquisite furniture) and avoid spending thousands of dollars on this project, your or your professional home stager’s first step is to do as much as possible with everything you already have in your house. The priciest items will probably come with making updates and repairs inside and outside your house. The least costly bits are maximizing your space by moving objects around and cleaning/clearing your house out. Rearranging existing furniture and cleaning the house and rooftop are some of the simple steps involved in this process. To enhance the effects of staging, you’ll probably want to select new accessories and furniture to create a welcoming environment and dress up your newfound space after you’ve decluttered. According to one survey, 90 percent of home buyers in the U.S. first search for houses on the Internet. So, when you’re listing a house, the photos need to be captivating to buyers—so much so that they can’t wait to see the house in person! Don’t think of money spent on staging as a waste, but as an investment or cost of doing business—and it will be recovered when the property is sold. It will pay off in the long run, when it boosts the house’s perceived value. Well-staged homes sell faster, too. According to the Real Estate Staging Association, professionally listed staged properties
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