Top London Estate Agent's Tips on How to Stage Your Home

 

Once you've made the decision to move house, you no doubt want your current home to sell as quickly and smoothly as possible. Conducting viewings and keeping the place pristine can be disruptive and time-consuming, and it can actually become quite stressful if it goes on for an extended period of time. 

So a quick sale is usually in everyone's best interests. It also has financial advantages - buyers tend to offer lower prices if a property has been on the market for a while. So, while the Estate Agent is doing their bit in managing the marketing and finding potential buyers, there are some things you can do to speed up the process by making your home what the agents call 'highly sellable'. 

Staging your home, ie dressing it up in particular ways designed to appeal to potential buyers, can help your property stand out in a competitive housing market and sell more quickly. So, here are a leading London Estate Agents’ top tips from a to help you stage your home and woo those potential buyers, fast. 

1. VIP-Ready

Imagine a TV crew or royal guests were coming to your home. You would make sure everything was spotlessly clean, tidy and looking its best. You'd freshen up any chipped paintwork. You'd polish the windows and mirrors. You'd dust the lamps and curtain poles. You'd make sure every surface was pristine and sparkling. That's the standard to aim for if you want to maximise the value of your property and get that quick sale. Clean and tidy everywhere as though potential buyers are demanding VIPs who expect the best. Not only will your home look its best, but it will also feel refreshed, energised, well looked after and an enjoyable space to be in. 

2. Show Home

Most agents would recommend a good declutter before you put your house on the market and it's good advice. Your prospective buyers want to see the property they'll be buying, they're not there to admire your collection of knick-knacks or inspect your taste in soft furnishings. Clearing away extraneous clutter will allow viewers to notice and appreciate the features of your home. Decluttering will also make your property feel more spacious and light - two highly desirable aspects that most buyers have on their wishlist. 

However, don't go so far that your home looks like an unloved, unlived-in shell. Aim to strike a balance between a blank canvas and a homely feel.

3. Living The Dream

Your prospective buyers will want to imagine themselves in your property, living the lifestyle they're hoping for. So, if you know the kind of buyers your home will appeal to, accessorise with their ideal lifestyle in mind. For example, if you're selling a family home, use props to make the rooms or garden look and feel like spaces that work beautifully for all the family. Well-placed items can suggest good times and a happy home life - al fresco dining furniture, logs by the fire, a freshly-baked cake on the kitchen worktop. Get creative and imagine the lifestyle your potential buyers want to enjoy in your home, then look for ways to dress your home to fit that picture. 

4. Aroma Therapy

If you've done a good job of spring cleaning your home it should already smell fresh, clean and pleasant, with no off-putting odours of pets, cooking or staleness which are serious no-nos. Now you can go a step further and use the power of smells and aromas to appeal to prospective buyers on a sensory, almost subliminal level. The classic suggestions are freshly-baked bread, freshly-brewed coffee or fresh flowers. However, you needn't splash out on an expensive coffee machine, scented candles can be an inexpensive way to enhance the aromas in your home. Just make sure you choose smells that are universally appealing, like citrus, vanilla or floral scents. 

A recent study suggests that white tea and fig are the most desirable smells to sell a home. 

5. Relaxed Ambience

One often overlooked aspect of staging a home is the ambience and temperature. When showing your home, you want prospective buyers to feel relaxed and comfortable, so ensure that your property is cool in hot weather, or cosily warm in the winter months. As with most things when selling a home, aim for neutral appeal. You may love a roaring fire and toasty temperatures but your viewers may not. Or you might have all your windows open all year round but if this creates a chilly atmosphere, it can be offputting to some people. Opt for a sensible balance that you think the vast majority will find comfortable. 

First impressions count and this is never more true than when buying a home. So devoting some time and resources to staging your home can give your property its best chance of impressing potential buyers at that all-important first viewing and generating a quick and easy sale.