No budget, no problem

5 home staging hacks that barely cost a thing

Your sweat equity will pay dividends when the home sells

Key Takeaways

The key to staging a home on a budget is manual labor with a detail oriented focus.

Staging a home on a budget isn’t as hard as you may think. Here are some ideas on how to instantly boost the appeal of the home using tricks of the trade that cost little or no money and bring a huge return on investment.

Small changes add up to create buyer-friendly rooms that can sell a home fast for a premium price. Below, you’ll find five ways to stage a home on the cheap.

 

Curb appeal entices the buyer to see more.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. The tone set by a property for drive-by visitors will dictate buyers’ emotional reaction. They will either love it or hate it based on their first impression. So, neat and tidy is the recipe here. Manicure the lawn, trim the bushes and weed all flower beds. If the mulch is faded, add a layer of new mulch to freshen it up. These simple changes will add loads of curb appeal. Once the yard is in order, hang a seasonal wreath or welcome sign on the front door, and use flower pots to add colour to the walkway and porch. These additions are perfect because container gardening allows you to take advantage of seasonal colours. Further enhancements that are inexpensive include power-washing the home and replacing worn house numbers and mailbox. If the front door looks like it’s seen better days,freshen it up with a new coat of paint. You can often find attractive colours deeply discounted on the “oops” shelf at your local paint store.

Use the 90-day rule to maximize space.
Most buyers cannot see past clutter.

It is so important that you understand that the temporary removal of unnecessary and personal items is imperative if you want to sell the home quickly at a desirable price.

When you declutter a home for staging purposes, you go through room by room and remove anything you will not need for the next 90 days. Try and make it exciting by treating the event as a packing party for the move to your future home. Use the 90-day rule for closets, cupboards and any area you are already using for storage. Most are amazed at how much space they have after the home is decluttered. Have a plan for storing packed items until the home sells. Temporarily house the belongings in a self-storage facility until a contract is in place. Rubbermaid containers are perfect to use and after decluttering, stack them in the garage or basement, it will minimize space, besides being ready to go when the time comes…less to pack later!

Stage rooms with a purpose!
A Dining Room should not feature a dining room table — and a desk. Make sure each room has a single purpose. Multi-purpose rooms confuse buyers.

Use current furniture to stage the home, and be creative. Just because a chair has sat in the Corner of the Great Room for ten years does not mean it has to stay in the corner, or even in that room!

Breathe new life into spaces through rearranging with purpose. Because this can be a touchy area for sellers, we offer a third party to help you out. We have a Team Stager that can come in and lend a hand with ideas or even physical labour! This makes it easier allowing the stager

to be helpful when a client is emotionally attached to their “things”. Very understandable!

The Stager will invite your client to try new ideas. It paves the way for the Professional Photographer on our Team to come in and shoot quickly and efficiently; showcasing the Property in it’s best light! Most times the clients love the results, but if you do not, you can always move the furniture back once the pictures are taken.

Pay attention to details!
Detail each room, and sprinkle seasonal decor and colour throughout.

Colourful throw pillows are an easy way to make the place “POP”.

Go beyond ordinary house cleaning, and shine door knobs, cabinet handles and fixtures. If you have wood cabinets, use a refresher like “Old English” on them to make them look new. Clean all of the baseboards, trim and corners in each room. If you have broken or worn electric and light switch plates, replace them with contractor grade plates.

They cost very little and make a great first impression.

Light it up!
Clean all of the windows and window treatments. Remove treatments if they block too much light. Use lamps to highlight darker areas. Experts suggests at least one lamp or light for every

100 square feet. Replace globes and light bulbs in light fixtures so that they all glow evenly, and use the same style bulbs and wattage. Clear daylight bulbs shed a nice clean “white” light. If your budget allows, replace outdated light fixtures with inexpensive current fixtures. Most of the work needed when staging a home on a budget is in manual labor with a detail-oriented focus. This costs sweat equity but will leave your bank account intact.

Jonathan Stewart, Broker
Cell: 705-971-5520
email: jonathan@stewartteam.ca
Website: stewartteam.ca