Making a Lasting Impression with These 10 Home Staging Tips

Falmouth, Maine, has a rich maritime history and is home to several National Historic Landmarks, such as the Falmouth Shipyard and Wood Island Lighthouse. With its waterfront views, abundant outdoor recreation, and charming downtown, people are looking to call the city home for many reasons. Whether you are looking to sell your home or begin renting it out, it’s important to stage your home to attract interest.

The exterior of the house is the first thing a potential buyer sees. Sprucing up your home's exterior is equally important as staging the inside. Some minor upgrades can go a long way to make potential buyers interested in your house. Consider repainting the front door, adding fresh flowers to the flowerbeds, and adding pops of color where you can. Replacing the outside lighting, power washing the siding, roof, and gutters, and replacing the welcome mat are straightforward improvements that enhance the house’s curb appeal. Making the front of your home look clean and inviting goes a long way to making a lasting impression.

The kitchen is the heart of the house for many people, so it is important to stage it appropriately. Decluttering the counters goes a long way. This can involve removing appliances that are infrequently used and specialty dishware and packing nonperishables from the pantry. A fresh coat of paint and new handles on the cabinetry are also easy ways to play to your kitchen’s strengths. Keeping the kitchen simple and clean allows the potential buyer to envision themselves living in the space, which is harder to do when the room is full of your personal touches and knickknacks.

When potential homebuyers step inside the house, it’s essential for the space to feel homey and inviting — but not so much that they are reminded that it is currently someone’s house. Remove personal pictures and collections to make the home feel less personal. Add warm, inviting colors to make the house feel like a home. One major factor in a house looking cluttered is too much furniture. Rooms with less furniture look bigger and leave room for potential buyers to walk around without bumping into anything.

When staging the house, consider moving around the furniture to ensure it allows the room to be easily maneuvered and enables potential buyers to envision living in the space. Rooms with no furniture come off as bland and unfinished. Arrange furniture to highlight each space’s best features. For example, when you reposition sofas and chairs into cozy conversational groups, potential buyers will imagine themselves spending time in the room. Areas with defined purposes and the correct amount of furniture exert a stronger pull on buyers.

As more people work from home, many potential homebuyers seek houses with office space. If you do not have an entire room to dedicate to a home office, carve out a nook in a spare bedroom or a corner in the living room. Having these areas defined, especially if there isn’t an extra room that could be converted into an office, allows potential homebuyers to see where they could work, allowing them to think about working in that designated space.

Storage space is usually a high priority on a buyers’ list. Decluttering and cleaning your closets and cabinets allows potential buyers to see the storage in your house. To prep your storage space for staging, add matching baskets and cloth bins to keep the closet neat while highlighting the functionality of the space. Additionally, adding a few pouches of potpourri to the bins of extra linens is a great touch, as the smell of fresh-smelling sheets and towels will greet potential homebuyers.

A clean bathroom goes a long way to make a lasting impression. If the bathroom is full of hard-water stains and dirt, the potential homebuyer will see a list of repairs they would need to make before feeling comfortable in the room. Ensuring your bathroom is free from hard-water stains, moldy caulk, and clutter will allow the room to make a good impression. You might also invest in a new shower curtain, bathmat, candles, and fluffy towels to create a spa-like feel.

A pleasant aroma can make a person feel more at home and relaxed. It is easy to acclimate to the subtle odors in our house; by placing a diffuser in the entryway, you greet potential buyers with a pleasant scent. In the kitchen, you can place a scented candle on the counter or simmer some cinnamon sticks in water and let the aroma diffuse throughout the room. In the living room, a vase of fragrant flowers brightens the space and adds a lovely, fresh fragrance. In the bathroom and bedrooms, plug-in air fresheners make the room crisp and refreshing.

Great lighting makes staged homes look so warm and welcoming. Ambient, task, and accent lighting make the space inviting and cozy. Overhead lights, reading lights, and table lights can make the home feel brighter and more welcoming. Experts suggest aiming for 100 watts of lighting for every 50 square feet.

Bold color in small spaces directs the eye toward what you want potential buyers to focus on. Paint an accent wall to draw attention to the focal point, such as a large set of windows or a fireplace. A colorful throw pillow can also brighten the room and make the space more appealing and charming.

It pays to work with a trusted realtor when staging your home to sell. An intelligent and connected real estate agent, like those with the La Count Real Estate team, can give you recommendations and advice during the staging process. Additionally, they know what buyers are looking for in homes for sale in Falmouth, Maine, and can add personal touches that reflect the area. Contact La Count Real Estate today to start your home journey.

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