The way your home looks when potential buyers view it determines whether they will feel positive about it and make a good offer. Fortunately, staging a home is not difficult as long as you avoid common mistakes such as designing a space that is too bland, too complex, or out of scale. A good real estate agent local to Torrance, CA can show you how to sell a house, including how to best set it up for viewings.
How to Sell a House in Torrance, CA: 7 Mistakes to Avoid when Staging a Home
1. Not Listening to Your Real Estate Agent
You know your space best. After all, you’ve lived there for years and spent a lot of time thinking about how to place your furniture and decorations for maximum effect. Despite this, listen closely to what your real estate agent has to say. Teresa Mack has years of experience selling Los Angeles real estate, so she knows what kind of decor is most likely to produce the desired effect.
Your agent will consider a wide variety of factors when staging a property, some of which you might not be aware of. For example, they might think about the kinds of people who are likely to come to viewings and what their preferences are, or they might strategically place furniture and decorative items to show off your home’s size, brightness, or features. By working together with the agent, you can increase your chances of a speedy sale.
2. Failing to Think About Photo Opportunities
Before people even visit your home, they will see pictures, either online or in a real estate agent’s window display. These photos need to be stunning and show off your home’s best features because they determine whether potential buyers will be interested in viewing your property. By thinking about how to place the furniture so it highlights the property’s advantages, you can increase the number of people who come to viewings and open house events.
It’s also worth considering that many viewers will want to take their own photos. Although the first impression is crucial and buyers might be tempted to make an offer on the spot if your home is warm and welcoming, most of them will need several days to decide. They will take lots of photos, go home and show them to their family or friends, and deliberate their decision. Thus, a home that photographs well will be at an advantage.
3. Forgetting About Lighting
People don’t want to live in a dark place. Instead, they are looking for bright, airy homes with sunlight and high-quality light fixtures. While some properties are naturally brighter than others, the kind of lighting you install can have a big impact on the appearance of the space. Start by maximizing natural light with window treatments and optimal curtain placement. Then, create several different layers of lighting with floor and table lamps.
4. Failing to Think About the Target Audience
Not every buyer has the same preferences, and if you consider who your target audience is, you will more easily sell your home. For example, a condo might attract young professionals looking to move to the city, who are likely to appreciate a clean, modern design. On the other hand, a larger home will be bought by a young family who needs bedrooms for the children and safe play areas.
Your real estate agent will speak to you about your ideal buyer and what kind of home they are looking for. Then, you can purchase furniture and lay out your space in a way that will appeal to this person.
5. Too Bland or Too Complex Designs
If you’re not sure who might want to buy your home or you want to show off all the possibilities of the space, you might be tempted to keep things too simple. A design that is very bland and doesn’t include any feature pieces might be neutral, but it won’t appeal to anyone. Instead of changing the wall color or the big pieces of furniture, try creating accents with textiles such as pillows or brightening up your space with some art.
On the other hand, creating rooms that are too cluttered or too full of personality is also problematic because it might prevent buyers from seeing the full potential of the space. Avoid clutter, clashing colors, or wacky designs, since they will detract people’s attention from the permanent fixtures of the home.
6. Angled Furniture or Out-of-Scale Pictures
Avoid arranging your furniture on diagonals because this can skew the room’s perspective, and it doesn’t necessarily make your space look bigger. Similarly, think about the scale of your pictures and wall decorations. For example, a huge wall with a small piece of art might make the room look smaller, and a large piece of art on a small wall can pull the focus away from the rest of the home.
7. Failing to Pay Attention to All the Senses
Staging a home takes a lot of thought. You have to consider how to best show off the rooms and features, what kinds of designs the target audience prefers, and how the property will look in photos. Together with your real estate agent, you can create a modern space that will show people how beautiful and practical your home is and inspire them to make a good offer. Get in touch with Teresa Mack to find out how to sell a house in Torrance, CA.
