Selling a house can be a complex process, even when everything goes smoothly. It’s not just about dealing with a lot of paperwork and financial details, but also getting your home to look its best. That means more than just cleaning or freshening up the paint on the walls; it’s about staging your home.
Making this investment can be very profitable. According to the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), staged homes sold for up to 20% more than similar homes that don’t get staged.
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Over-Personalizing the Space
This is your home, and you might have lived here for a long time. Ideally, you won’t be living here for much longer. Once you start selling your home, you need to mentally detach from it. And what that means is making your space less personal. Not doing that is a big mistake.
“Buyers often have a hard time picturing the property as their own space, which can make it harder for them to form an emotional attachment to it and may result in lower offers.”
When you over-personalize your home, you could see reduced offers – by as much as 3% to 5%, Shepherd said.
“Create a blank slate for potential buyers by using neutral tones and removing personal items,” Shepherd suggested.
Ignoring Curb Appeal
Home sellers who only focus on making the interior of their home look great and forget about the outside – specifically what’s visible from the street – are courting problems.
A home’s appearance from the outside is the first thing buyers notice, and an untidy lawn or faded paint can be off-putting,” Shepherd said. “In fact, homes with poor exterior appearance can take 7-10% longer to sell or may require price reductions.
To avoid this error, Shepherd suggested investing in basic yard work, repainting the front entrance, placing a clean welcome mat, and adding welcoming natural elements such as potted plants.
Using Incorrectly Sized Furniture
Avoid getting stuck with furniture that’s just right after the first try. Ensure the furniture is a perfect fit, not too big or too small.
“Buying oversized furniture can shrink the look of a room, while pieces that are too small make a space look unbalanced,” Shepherd said. “This can make buyers unsure about whether their current furniture will fit, leading to uncertainty. This uncertainty can end up costing more in market time and lower offers.”
To stay one step ahead of this issue, select furniture that’s proportional to the room, as suggested by Shepherd, allowing for an improved flow and functionality within each space.
Neglecting Lighting
When house hunters step inside a home they’re considering purchasing, they’re looking for bright and airy spaces. This includes not only natural light, if available, but also artificial lighting provided by lamps and other lighting fixtures.
“Using dim lighting or mismatched bulbs throughout the home is a challenge,” Shepherd said.
Poor lighting can make spaces seem smaller, less welcoming, and even outdated. Typically, buyers are willing to offer 1-3% less for homes that appear dark or uninviting. It’s recommended to use consistent, warm lighting, along with modern fixtures and open blinds, to allow for optimal natural light.
Ignoring Odors
Here’s one common home-staging mistake that could catch you off guard: unpleasant or strange odors, like those that can be caused by pets, cooking, or unresolved mold.
Foul odors can evoke a negative emotional response, causing potential buyers to walk away,” Shepherd said. “A smelly residence can take longer to sell and often results in a sale price that’s 5-7% lower than expected.
When preparing your home for viewings, be sure to thoroughly clean your carpets and upholstered furniture, scrub all sinks and bathtubs, use neutral-scented air fresheners, and make sure to thoroughly remove any evidence of your pets.
Overdoing It
Once you’ve reached the stage of staging your home, you may feel super motivated to really go all out. Definitely keep that energy going, but be careful not to overdo it. Taking things too far with elaborate decorations, fancy table settings, or overly flashy flower arrangements is a misstep.
Over-accessorizing a home can take attention away from its actual features and make it seem less genuine,” Shepherd said. “Buyers might perceive the home’s presentation as unoriginal, which can extend the time it takes to sell the house. Keeping staging minimal and practical helps bring out the home’s best qualities without overwhelming the space.
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