New to the industry? Get started with everything you need to know about the early decisions that’ll shape your career, including choosing a brokerage, learning your market, creating an online presence, budgeting, getting leads, marketing listings and so much more. If you’re a team leader or broker-owner, New Agent Month will be jam-packed with resources to help your new hires navigate.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. As a new real estate professional, one of the most valuable resources you can provide a client is making sure their home will show well.
This helps ensure that anyone who sees it will do so in its very best form. It is always important to highlight a property’s strengths and appeal to the greatest pool of potential buyers possible. Here, I’ve outlined four tried-and-true ways new agents should master to stage a home that won’t fail to impress.
Consider curb appeal
Make a lasting impression as soon as potential buyers arrive at the property. There are a few simple updates that I recommend clients to consider to improve the exterior of the property.
First, paint the front door a color that makes the home look fresh and that is complementary to the rest of the home’s colors and the surrounding neighborhood. A few additional simple ways to improve the home’s appearance are by refreshing the old house numbers, installing new lighting, cleaning up the garden and painting the surrounding fencing.
To elevate the exterior, fill window boxes with beautiful, fresh greenery, and add some simple, yet tasteful furniture to the porch. All these improvements give the home a clean, elevated refresh.
Remove clutter
One of the most important staging tips of all is to remove clutter from a listing. That includes excess living room furniture, unnecessary items on kitchen counters and more.
Advise clients that it is preferable to remove some, if not the majority, of the home’s furniture so the home appears bigger and creates a more open flow to effortlessly tour clients through.
If a client’s furniture is outdated or tired, make a recommendation to have it all removed and replaced with minimalist, understated pieces that won’t distract from the best qualities of each room. Explain to clients that this will help all eyes be drawn to some of the best accents of the home, like gorgeous custom shelving, a rare antique fireplace and other high-end touches.
It’s all about positioning
Be strategic about where furniture is placed in each room. For example, position sofas and chairs so they could allow for friendly conversation. Move larger items so they don’t block the traffic between each room.
In the bedroom, position the bed centrally and out of view from the door for a cleaner line. While it might seem simple, positioning furniture a certain way helps make a space more user-friendly and neater, while also opening up each room’s potential.
Bring nature in
I recommend clients draw nature into the home at every chance possible. Whether that means professionally cleaning the windows to ensure the beautiful blue sky and cascading sunshine naturally brightens the room or adding plants, mirrors, and natural materials, these simple touches can completely elevate the experience of a home.
Plants such as ferns, orchids, and cacti thrive indoors and literally bring life to a room. Choose soothing, muted color tones, and implement candles and low-light bulbs. This will allow for a softer and calmer environment.
In conclusion
The right staging can make all the difference when trying to sell a property. Highlighting the home’s strengths and what makes it so special will help potential buyers see why the property is an ideal fit for them and their lifestyle.
From considering the home’s curb appeal, to bringing in natural elements, positioning your furniture properly and removing any unwanted clutter, taking various steps to ensure a home looks and feels its best will allow buyers to view and understand the potential of the property.
Santiago Arana is a managing partner at The Agency, in Los Angeles. Connect with him on Instagram.
