Staging is one of the most crucial steps in the home selling process. It involves more than just cleaning up and rearranging the furniture and decor, though. You also need to put in some careful planning and strategy toward your staging efforts if you want to sell your San Francisco home fast, as well as for the best offers possible.
While the idea behind staging is to showcase the finest features and angles of your property, it is also important to remember that buyers channel varying amounts of their focus and attention to different parts of the house.
Knowing which parts of your property to concentrate your staging efforts on will help you maximize your resources, whether you are sprucing up your house by yourself or hiring a professional real estate staging company.
The living room
As the primary where all the members of the household come together, your living room will receive a lot of attention and scrutiny from interested buyers.
When you stage your living room, emphasize the size of the space and its conduciveness to “flow.” In other words, keep the floor clear of distracting elements like patterned carpets, as well as physical obstructions like ottomans, footstools, and other non-essential small furniture.
Avoid making the space look bare, however. You can decorate with small, simple accessories like a vase of flowers or some other item that can also serve as a subtle conversation piece.
The living room also benefits greatly from an abundance of light, because brightness will make it look and feel larger and more pleasant. If you have windows nearby, pull back the curtains to allow natural light to enter unimpeded. You can also supplement natural light by turning the lights on or by placing lamps in particularly shadowy corners of the living room.
The kitchen
Known as the heart of every home, the kitchen draws a significant amount of attention from buyers, as well.
To effectively stage a kitchen, start by decluttering the area. Countertops should be clear of unnecessary items, save for a common countertop appliance or two. Alternatively, you can display a few small containers for condiments, spices, or coffee to add character and texture to your countertops.
You will also want to clear out the cabinets if your potential buyers are coming for a visit. Showcasing an abundance of storage space in your cupboards and cabinets can add to the appeal of your kitchen’s design.
The primary bedroom
Interested homebuyers will also want to spend a lot of time examining the main bedroom. A bona fide owner’s suite must make a strong and lasting first impression; it has to look and feel like an irresistible place to rest and relax at the end of a long and hectic day.
To make the main bedroom of your house look like a lavish hotel suite, use new or freshly washed linens and pillows—fluffed up as much as you can make them.
Like the living room, introduce plenty of light to make the bedroom appear spacious and inviting. For this type of space, hanging mirrors on the wall or on the closet doors can add to the illusion of a larger space, while also enabling more brightness to bounce around.
Speaking of closets, here is another opportunity for you to show off the available storage space. Clear out any clothes or belongings from your closet and install small lights to illuminate the space available for the next owner’s use.
If your bedroom is large enough, you can also consider featuring a small seating area suitable for some leisurely reading or light conversation at the end of the day.
The bathroom
As one of the most private and intimate places in your house, the main bathroom can be the element that convinces a curious buyer to pitch a serious offer. Make this part of the house an irresistible amenity by mirroring the lavish and relaxing feel of a spa.
Here are some ways to give your main bathroom a fresh aesthetic befitting a high-end spa experience:
- Fold some clean, crisp white towels and put them on display on your bathroom’s storage shelves.
- Roll up a few hot towels in time for a buyer’s viewing.
- Place scented candles to evoke a soothing vibe.
- Play some ambient music or a recording of nature sounds to complete the multisensory spa experience.
If you want no less than the best San Francisco Realtors helping you sell your Bay Area home, reach out to luxury property specialist Nina Hatvany and her company, Team Hatvany. Contact 415.710.6462 or team(at)teamhatvany(dotted)com to learn more about this top-performing real estate firm’s services and expertise.