Veteran listing agents know all the conventional wisdom when it comes to staging a home, but every so often someone comes along and offers a tip or trick that breaks the mold.
Following are 5 of the best Internet home staging tips that will leave an impression on prospective buyers and just might surprise you!
Television as Multi-Media Art
If you have a large flat screen TV mounted on the wall, Laura Gaskill of Houzz.com recommends turning it into a work of art with a slide show of nature images. Not only is this calming and pleasant—it allows prospective buyers to imagine themselves and their family gathering in the living room to watch their favorite show after a long day.
Entice Them to See More
When selling a property it is important to draw people in and encourage them to see the entire home. Gaskill recommends placing a colorful item at the end of a hallway or the top of a staircase, enticing curious buyers to wander farther down the corridors. She recommends artwork, a vase of flowers, or anything classy that will catch the eye.
Shiny Objects
It’s true – shiny things get noticed. Adding large mirrors to a small space, where appropriate, can make it feel much bigger. Of course, be sure that a mirror will actually add something to the space before you purchase one.
The Rule of Threes
When it comes to room accessories for coffee tables and other flat surfaces, HGTV.com says that the eye is drawn to objects clustered in threes. Imagine a triangle and place one object at each point. Consider scale and make sure the items aren’t too big for a tabletop or it will definitely seem cluttered.
Tapping into Sense Memories
Pleasant sights and sounds are vital—quality lighting and maybe a little unobtrusive music playing softly in the background—but smells have a strong connection to long-term, emotional memory. This an old classic, but it remains as effective as ever. Bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies from a package or pop a few in the microwave just before a showing or open house. The smell evokes warm memories of childhood and makes buyers feel at home in a stranger’s house.
Have you had success with certain staging ideas? Share them with me – I’d love to hear them!