If you’re putting your West London property on the market, a savvy real estate tip for a timely sale is home staging. This involves making your property as appealing as possible to potential buyers during property visits or in advertising photos. 86% of UK property professionals in a 2019 survey say a staged home sells 1-3 times faster than a non-staged home! Home staging has become so commonplace that professional staging companies can make your property ultra-appealing for you, but often for an ultra-unappealing price. If you’re on a minimal budget, all is not lost! With the right approach, it is possible to inexpensively stage your home yourself and reap the benefits of a quicker sale. Read on for our top home staging tips on a minimal budget.
1. Invest in essential work
Damage
- Treat any damp or mould – these are major red-flags to a potential buyer.
- If any fitted appliance is broken, invest in repairing it. You don’t want to misrepresent the property by leaving glaring defects un-fixed.
Paint
- If a room looks especially tired or has particularly loud coloured walls (a neutral colour scheme is best), consider applying a new lick of paint. Use a wall painting calculator so you only buy the paint you need, helping to keep costs down.
Emphasise Space
Clean and Sanitise
- Deep clean your property – any unbecoming sights of mess sets the wrong tone and makes a home look muddled.
Declutter
- An overcrowded space is the number one no-no when it comes to staging your property. Space sells – each square foot is valuable. Start by decluttering to make it look as spacious as possible. You want images of each room to look large, and people visiting the property to easily move through the space. A quick tip: make sure each item has a clear purpose in the room.
- How? Workroom by room and organise objects that overcrowd the space into whether you want to keep them, or whether it’s time to remove them from your life (especially if you’re downsizing).
- This could include classic clutter like old magazines, expired pantry items and beauty products, or an overflowing bookshelf or wardrobe. Next, useful clutter without storage, like extra dining chairs that don’t fit around the table or countertops jam-packed with appliances. Re-consider temporary free off-site storage options for items you want to keep, such as your car or willing family and friends’ house. Bite-the-bullet with items you don’t really need: recycle, a gift to charity or loved-ones, or sell.
Lighting
- In particularly boxy rooms create the illusion of depth by adding in mirrors. These bounce off light, making the room look larger.
- If a room has little natural light, ensure it is fitted with good quality light bulbs.
Re-arrange Furniture
- Construct clear pathways so potential buyers can easily move through the space. A quick tip: walk through the property and note down any point where navigating the space is obstructed by furniture. Start there.
De-personalise
Remove Personal Objects
- A primary aim of home staging is to help a potential buyer easily envision themselves living in the property. Daydreams of their new life could be abruptly cut short by family photos, children’s artwork stuck on the fridge, or the niche memorabilia your partner loves (for some reason). So, make sure anything uber-personal is removed. This goes for pets too.
Finishing Touches
Add affordable ‘show home’ finishing touches
- Fragrance diffusers, fresh bathroom soap and flowers add pleasant fragrances during property visits
- Arrange guest towels in bathrooms, pretty tea towels in the kitchen and fit your most neutral bed covers to give a fresh, new feel
Ask a Real Estate Professional
If in doubt about preparing your property for the real estate market, ask a professional! At Rickman Properties London, we have firmly established ourselves as one of London’s leading estate agents in serving the needs of our clients. If you’re considering selling your property in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, we’ll be happy to help with your queries, including further home staging advice.
Conclusion
For more info on selling your home, read our Selling Guide here. For enquiries about selling your West London property with Rickman Properties London or to request a valuation, please contact us on 020 7937 9777 or email us on info@rickmanproperties.com
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