Biggest Home Staging Mistakes You Need to Avoid

​One of the best tools for selling a home quickly has to be home staging. It’s an easy way to show buyers the true potential of your home. Home staging allows you to showcase the best features of your home. However, certain home staging mistakes could cost you your home sale. That’s why it’s crucial to consider the effect of every part of home staging. When you avoid these mistakes and follow our advice, you will surely leave a great effect on the buyers and sell your home quickly.

Not cleaning the home is one of the biggest home staging mistakes ​

​When buyers see a messy home, they aren’t very interested in purchasing it. To leave a great first impression on buyers, deep clean your home. Buyers will want to look at every corner of your home. Therefore, it is important to tackle the cleaning before the home staging process. When cleaning, don’t forget the outside as well. The windows, doors, and walkways are the most important parts of your home to clean.
Additionally, check whether there are any odors in your home. If there are, do your best to remove them before the buyers arrive. Any spoiled food should be removed as soon as possible. Air fresheners are a simple investment that can make a big difference.

​Leaving pet hair and toys

Most people love pets, especially dogs. However, they could lower your chances of selling your home. Pet hair is one of the worst things buyers can see in your home. Be honest and let the buyers know that pets were in the home. Nevertheless, do your best to clean the pet's hair and keep your home tidy. When buyers schedule to see your home, decide where to leave your pets. It is best to take them to a friend or family member until the buyers leave. If you can’t find someone to take care of them, designate a separate area where they can be. In case your pets destroy some of the furniture, such as a cat scratching the couch, remove these pieces and replace them. This simple change can improve your chances of a successful sale a lot.

Start the home staging process by cleaning every corner of your home

Not doing repairs

Repairs are a must when selling a home because a functional and well-maintained home is one that all buyers will love. When staging your home, consider whether anything needs to be repaired and upgraded. Simple upgrades and cosmetic changes could help you sell your home faster. For example, in the bathroom, you can change the shower curtain and add some new décor pieces, such as fresh flowers or decorative soaps. Of course, make sure there aren’t any repairs that need to be done before buyers arrive. Even fixing a small thing, such as a leaky faucet, can help. These small upgrades don’t cost a lot, but leaving them will catch the eye of buyers and make a bad impression on them.
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Staging with bulky pieces of furniture

​The goal of home staging is to show potential buyers the best of your home. However, bulky furniture can leave a bad impression on the buyers. It takes up a lot of space and, therefore, makes your home feel small. Leaving bulky furniture in a home is one of the most common home staging mistakes. When staging your home, see whether certain bulky pieces of furniture can be replaced or moved. You can move some pieces into your new home. Before you do, plan your relocation carefully so everything can go smoothly. By doing so, you will prevent common moving mishaps and relocate your furniture safely.  

Don't leave too much personality in a staged home

Leaving too much personality

​When trying to sell a home, help the buyers see what life in your home can be like for them. Decorate it, but leave enough room for the buyers to be able to imagine their own lives in it. A home that is staged with too many extravagant décor pieces can be distracting. It could steer away potential buyers as they will have a more difficult time imagining their future in your home. So, when choosing décor pieces for staging your home, go neutral. Pick options that most people will like. Plants are always a good option, as they can go great with any interior design style. Plus, they are a decorative choice everyone loves. You can also improve the lighting in your home with new light bulbs or decorative lamps.

​What if you still live there?

​If you are staging and selling your home while still living in it, this can be a little more difficult to achieve. But the important thing is that it is not an impossible thing to do. As experts from fairfaxtransfer.com say, the best solution to this problem is to put your things away in storage. When buyers see all the additional space, they will have the impression that the home is more spacious. A pile of filled moving boxes could leave a bad impression on the buyers. By investing in storage, you’ll be able to put every personal item away. The advantage of this is that your things will be safe and out of sight. Finally, you will be able to move out quickly, as most of your things will already be packed and out of your home.

Not cleaning pet hair is one of the most common home staging mistakes you can make

​Not knowing the buyers

Before you start staging and listing your home, consider what the buyers are looking for. Buyers want to invest in a home in a neighborhood where they can live their lifestyle effortlessly. If you live in a busy neighborhood with a lot of job opportunities, stage your home by adding a home office area. On the other hand, if you live in a great school district, stage your home to appeal to people moving with children. Consult with your realtor and find out what the buyers are mostly looking for. Staging your home for the right buyers is one of the best steps in the home-selling process.

These home staging mistakes could make or break your home sale. Before you start showing your home to buyers, take a good look at whether you are making these mistakes. If you are, don’t sweat about it. You will be able to take care of them quickly and stage your home the best way you can. Soon enough, you will sell your home for the best possible price. By staging your home for the right buyers, doing repairs, and redecorating, you will leave a great first impression. All things considered, your efforts will surely pay off.

Jane Robinson is an experienced writer who loves writing about interior design and home staging. With her advice, decorating, and home staging are easy tasks. When she’s not writing, she likes to spend time outdoors.