You have most likely heard of the benefits of home staging to increase the likelihood of a quick and more profitable sale.  But have you ever really seriously considered brining in a professional home stager to improve and make suggestions for your soon to be listed property?

According to the Mighty Mortgages Blog,

People make a buying decision within the first moments they enter a home. A home staging professional can ensure you make the best possible first impression on potential buyers. The goal is to sell the home at the highest price possible in the shortest period of time. Home stagers work to make the home appeal to the broadest market possible.

If you agree with that persuasion but have the do-it-yourself knack, you can indeed find at least some degree of success by tackling the staging project on your own.  Try these essential staging pointers…

Don’t Take It Personally.

I know you love your family pictures hanging against the backdrop of your kitchen wall painted bright purple.  And that’s just fine.  But you’re just going to have to do yourself a favor or two.

Take the pictures down.  Paint the wall a nice popular neutral color.  Think shades of light khaki or a “colorful” white.  Now, leave the photos down.  If you have something else that’s sparse and impersonal to put on the wall as a replacement, that would be fine.  For neutral but still appealing ideas, flip through any recent home decor catalogs, such as Pottery Barn, that you probably get in the mail every month.

Rule of thumb – if it has special or sentimental meaning to you, it needs to go.  You just don’t want prospective buyers to feel like they’re in someone else’s home.  For the best results, they should feel like they’re in their own new home.

Get Rid of the Clutter Already.

You just can’t expect a potential buyer to see the benefits of your home if there’s stuff everywhere.  First, the extra stuff constricts the openness and feel of space that is ever so important for maximizing your home’s value.  Besides that, you might be hiding or covering up valuable details with toys, clothes, or other distractions.

Even if it means having a garage sale or renting a storage unit, move everything besides attractive and essential furniture out of the home.  Use what’s left to show just how perfect the features of your home could possibly be, even if it’s not the way you’ve had it in the past.  Think from the buyer’s perspective by pretending it’s the first time you’ve ever walked into your home.  What are your impressions?

While an expert home stager might be able to take these ideas to another whole level and have several additional recommendations of their own, if you do choose the DIY home staging route, these pointers will start you along the right path…  The path towards a fast and profitable sale!