Have you ever wondered how to list my home on MLS Minneapolis MN? Every first-time home seller in the city has considered this. In most cases, it’s the real estate agent who’ll handle the majority of the work, but one step where you can be as involved as you want is home staging. This is the part where you prepare your home to showcase its best qualities and impress buyers on the MLS.
What are the most important aspects of it? What things should you do to make your property appealing on its listing? We’ve shared some of the most essential considerations to have when staging your home. Keep reading to learn more.
What Is Staging?
The common idea about home staging is making the property beautiful to attract buyers, and that’s certainly true. However, this practice also serves other purposes. Home staging helps you:
- Turn awkward or weird areas into usable spaces
- Establish a mood or atmosphere
- Make the interiors and exterior photogenic for marketing purposes
- Hide flaws
- Give prospective buyers a chance to imagine themselves inside the home
Because of these advantages, home staging becomes a worth-it investment when selling your residential property. Before you hire a home staging company, here’s what you can do on your own.
1. Clean and Declutter
This should be a no-brainer, but it can be difficult to clean and declutter if you’re still occupying the property. Whether or not you’re still living in it, you can still do a lot to make things orderly and tidy. Start by cleaning every surface in the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and living room. You should also remove knickknacks, toys, hobby items, and other belongings that will only clutter your spaces. Move them to storage boxes and away from view.
2. Renovate the Kitchen and Bathroom
More than cleaning, kitchens and bathrooms usually need to be upgraded to make them more appealing. These places are exposed to humidity, smoke, and grime, making surfaces look old and used.
To increase the value of your home and make these spaces more enticing, a remodeling project may be necessary. This doesn’t have to be something extensive. Even a simple paint job can do wonders.
3. Consider Your Lighting
Making your home look warm and appealing involves a lot of good lighting. It’s what makes your interiors feel cozy yet bright and inviting. In general, you should take advantage of natural light as much as possible. For spaces that have small windows or no access to sunlight, use warm-colored bulbs. According to HGTV, you should aim for 100 watts for every 50 square feet for ambient light. Don’t forget to include accent and task lighting.
4. Add Storage, But Don’t Overdo
Once you’re done with the decluttering, you might find plenty of extra space in your rooms. You can use this to add extra storage and make your interiors feel more organized. Storage in key areas is also one of the most sought-after features by property buyers. To showcase this aspect of your property, you can include the following in your pictures:
- Closets and cabinets with minimal contents
- Shelves with minimal decorations
- Undershelf baskets, hanger racks, and shoe racks
5. Brighten with Light Colors
Unless the dark tones are part of a property’s overall appeal, refrain from using these colors during home staging. These absorb light and diminish your efforts in accentuating your spaces. That’s why light hues, neutrals, and pastels are the go-to colors for paint, furniture, and curtains. These colors also give a bright and inviting atmosphere that looks excellent in the MLS.
6. Change the Layout
Living in a home for many years means having a layout that you’re used to. However, what’s functional to you might not be appealing to most people. So, rework your room layouts based on what looks best, not what’s practical. That means focusing on balance, aesthetics, and mood instead of usefulness. If you’re not sure where to start, consult feng shui websites or interior design blogs.
7. Mind Your Exteriors
Don’t focus only on your interiors. You should also make improvements to your exteriors, like your front and backyard. These parts make the first impression during open houses, and home buyers will always look for them when browsing listings. Here are some things you can do to enhance curb appeal:
- Repair and paint fences, decks, and outdoor furniture.
- Get rid of weeds and mow the grass.
- Trim hedges, bushes, and trees.
- Add flowers and ornamental plants.
- Power wash windows, sidings, and pathways.
- Clean the pool, if you have one.
8. Depersonalize Spaces
It’s important for prospective buyers to imagine themselves living in the property. Having personal items visible in the photos will make this difficult. So, during home staging, make sure to depersonalize the spaces. Hide family photos, clothing, art pieces, personal bathroom items, toys, and other items that remind viewers of your presence.
9. Remove Signs of Pets
Some people are allergic to pet dander. Others just aren’t ready to have dogs or cats as part of their household. So, if you want to appeal to a larger audience, it’s better to remove signs of pets during home staging.
10. Add the Final Touches
Before taking the marketing photos to add to the MLS, you can include final touches to maximize the impact of your visual media. You can try:
- Adding a bouquet of fresh flowers on the living room table.
- Lighting a few candles.
- Placing plush towels on the bathroom counter.
- Turning on the lights.
- Touching up paint.
- Rearranging drapes and curtains.
Final Thoughts
Home staging is a guaranteed method to make your property more appealing to a wider audience. However, you don’t need to invest a lot in it for your marketing media or MLS listing. Follow the guide above to make the most impact with staging your home. For more tips and ideas on how to get your home ready for sale in the Minneapolis and surrounding areas, please Contact Real Estate Corners today.
Sources:
https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/real-estate/15-secrets-of-home-staging-pictures
https://www.homesandgardens.com/news/features-house-buyers-want
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/06/curb-appeal-is-key-to-selling-a-home-say-corcoran-conlon-and-torres.html
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/mortgages-real-estate/08/staging-home.asp
https://www.homesandgardens.com/advice/home-staging-tips
