Perhaps you’ve started preparing your home for professional pictures or in-person showings, and you have questions about what you can do to make sure your home is positioned to sell quickly. There’s an art to stage your home, but it’s not as hard as you might think. In this article you’ll learn about a few easy tips and tricks that you can follow that will improve your home’s staging. This should lead to a quicker sale and better profits when you put your East Austin real estate on the market. 

First impressions make a huge difference. That’s why it is of the utmost importance that your property has strong curb appeal when you’re selling East Austin real estate. The front of your home acts as the first impression, both in-person and online. If the front of your home looks appealing and inviting, you’ll be more likely to engage with potential buyers, and you’ll set the stage for a successful and impressive in-person showing. 

Start by making sure your grass is cut and the weeds are pulled from your landscaping. Next, hire professional power washing services to clean your siding. You may also decide to paint the front door or your shutters a brighter color than what they were before. This can be a great way to give the front of your home extra character. 

Use plants to your advantage. Lay down fresh mulch and fill the flower beds with beautiful flowers and greenery. You can add some window boxes into the windows as well. Finally, add a couple chairs to your front porch if there’s room. Outdoor living spaces are increasingly popular in today’s market, and you will want to show prospective buyers that there’s enough space in the front of the house to sit outside and enjoy a nice day.

The kitchen is often the first room that buyers want to see when they enter the home. Kitchens are important both for preparing meals and for hosting guests. People spend a lot of time in their kitchens, and they will want to make sure any home that they are thinking about buying has a kitchen that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Some people assume that kitchen upgrades must be difficult and costly, but this isn’t always the case. You can improve the appeal of your kitchen without doing a full renovation or spending tens of thousands of dollars. When you stage your home, start with the kitchen if you don't know where to start.

One easy trick is to clear out clutter from your kitchen and put away almost everything that you currently have out on your countertops. You shouldn’t leave anything out except for a bowl of fresh fruit or a potted plant. You can make your cabinets look new without actually replacing them by covering them with a fresh coat of paint. Colors like white and gray are popular right now, along with neutral shades such as blue and beige. You can also replace your cabinet handles pretty easily. If you want to go a step further, consider adding faux tile or painting the existing tile to give it a facelift. 

Many people incorrectly assume that their interior spaces will look larger if they push all of their furniture up against the wall. The opposite is actually true. Designers recommend that you leave at least four feet of space between each piece of furniture and the wall. This gives guests enough space to freely move throughout the room. You should also leave 18 inches of space between each piece of furniture. Stage your home based on these rules. You’ll find that your spaces feel more open and easier to navigate. This may require you to move some furniture out, which is completely fine. Remember, buyers aren’t coming to your home to see your stuff. They want to imagine what the house might feel like if they were living there.

More people are working from home than ever before. The trend started several years ago, but it picked up quickly at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. People want to know that they will have a functional space to work inside their new home. Don’t sweat it if you can’t set aside an entire room as a home office. Most people won’t mind putting a desk in the corner of a spare bedroom or even inside a closet. Multi-functional spaces are in right now, and the trend is unlikely to go away anytime soon. 

There’s nothing wrong with having family pictures up in your home, but it won’t help you go under contract sooner. Go ahead and de-personalize your home as you get ready to stage your home and in-person showings. You don’t want the buyer to feel like they are intruding on your space, and you don’t want to inhibit their ability to imagine what the home could look like if it were theirs. You can pack these items up first and prepare to take them with you to your next home. If your walls and shelves look too bare after these things come down, consider adding some pieces of artwork or framed paintings.

Reach out to the Prospect Real Estate team if you’re looking for help with staging your home. They know what buyers in Austin are looking for, and they can help you stage your home to stand out from the crowd and catch buyers’ eyes. Their vast knowledge of the market for East Austin real estate will be a tremendous asset for you as you look to get top dollar for your sale. They would love to partner with you and will work hard to ensure you get the results that you’re hoping for.