Properly staged homes show better than other listings, which creates the impression that the home will sell quickly. This creates a heightened sense of urgency that encourages buyers to place higher bids in order to not lose the property. On the other hand, poor staging costs the seller thousands of dollars because they lack that urgency and often end up going stale on the market. Today’s savvy buyers will use the extended time on market against the seller to rationalize significantly lower ‘bully’ offers.

Every house looks larger with less in it… it’s truly amazing how spacious a home is once about half of the furniture and belongings are removed. The Good Luk Team’s professional stagers can recommend local storage facilities – and will even provide rental furnishings and décor to help sell your home.

Properties that display too many trophies and pictures of the home owner’s family simply reminds buyers that they are in someone else’s home. You want buyers to picture their family living in the home, not yours. So be sure to go through every room and eliminate anything that is too personal. Instead, opt for more neutral décor, like paintings that help create a warm and inviting atmosphere that buyers can envision as their own living space. To assist in creating that ideal selling environment, The Good Luk Team can provide rental pieces to help stage your home in neutral elegance.

The truth is that not everyone likes pets. Listings appeal to more buyers when they appear to be a pet-free property. Try to arrange for your furry friends to stay with friends or family while you’re showing your property, and be sure to put away all pet toys, food stations and beds until you sell. Your pets will forgive you, and your bank account will thank you.

Buyers are drawn to pristine properties that are clean, tidy and smell fresh – they sell faster and for more money. Make sure that everything in your house is cleaned daily and put away during showings. One of the best strategies is to arrange to have the entire family use only one bathroom and fewer rooms until the property sells, which can greatly reduce the amount of daily cleaning required.

In order to make the best first impression possible, keep your yards (front and back) swept clean, wash all windows and exterior and remove any children’s toys or tools from view. Make sure your lawns are well kept (mow and weed regularly), and be sure to water frequently and deeply before listing to ensure a lush green lawn during showings. Make sure front lights have working bulbs and don’t neglect to clean out the shed and garage… buyers believe that a well-kept, tidy exterior is a sign that the home owners have diligently maintained the property, which can lead to higher offers.

When showing your home, consider conversational groupings for furniture, and try to avoid having all of the furniture against walls. It’s common for home stagers to move select items of furniture to other rooms to open up your space, which can help increase your listing’s appeal to more buyers.

Low or dim lighting decreases the attractiveness of your listing and creates a gloomy feel that turns buyers away. Be sure to brighten each room with additional lighting (including higher wattage in existing fixtures when safe and possible) to make it look brighter and more welcoming.

Remember, this isn’t your home anymore… potential buyers want to feel like it’s their next home. You might have enjoyed some vibrant hues or dark tones to create your perfect atmosphere while you lived in the property, but repainting in neutral colours is an extremely affordable way to help appeal to more buyers. Another top tip that professional stagers apply is to use the same paint colour on connecting rooms to make them feel like one much larger space, even matching the colour on the walls to the drapes to make rooms appear larger still.

Any professional stager will tell you that a few key renovations or visible upgrades in key areas go a long way to increasing property value before you sell your home. Installing new hardwood floors always make a great first impression on buyers, as do new fixtures, cabinets and counters in kitchens and baths. Staging your home is about making the space memorable, and these finishing touches get noticed… and increase your chances of drawing higher offers.

Staging a home should never be a DIY activity. The Good Luk Team offers free professional staging that is proven to dramatically increase your listing price and help you get thousands of dollars more for your property. Honestly, why wouldn’t you let our professionals stage your home so that you get top dollar when you sell your property?

Once The Good Luk Team is finished, your newly staged property will look better than ever and be ready to go on the market and attract top dollar. The next step would be to make sure that you get the best possible photography and video to showcase your newly staged home. Only then will your Good Luk Team real estate agent be ready to advertise and promote your listing most effectively.