6 Styling Tips for Selling Your Property

 

Styling for Selling

So, you have decided to sell your property. Congratulations! By now, you would already know that selling real estate is an expensive process. What with advertising costs, upfront solicitor fees, and an agent’s commission at the end of the process, there is a lot that you have to fork out money for. However, if done right, one thing homeowners can save money on is styling.

From a real estate agent’s perspective, styling can and does significantly increase the sale price of a property and the time it takes to sell. In a survey conducted among some top 50 agents, 98% believe styling a property will add over 2.5% to a property’s sale price. Most would say styling to sell is worth the investment, however many will not want to spend upwards of $2000 to employ a professional property stylist. Herein lies an opportunity for homeowners to let their own creative flag fly.

Here are 6 styling tips for selling your property:

It’s a no-brainer

You would know from your own house hunting that no unpainted wall corner, broken door hinge, hole in the wall, or gorgeous little scribble from a 2-year-old, goes unnoticed. If a buyer is really interested in a property, they will notice every nook and cranny. The first step of styling to sell is a no-brainer. Make sure these nooks and crannies are clean, painted, polished and free from the scribble.

Bring nature from the outside in

Whether it’s a well-presented succulent in a simple classic pot or a bunch of the best and brightest peonies from the local market, a touch of nature in every room adds an element of calm. Plants require love and affection and if they are alive and cared for, it gives the impression that the property is also well cared for. After all, there is truly nothing nicer than coming home to fresh flowers on the dining table (unless you’re a hay fever sufferer who has to always opt for silk flowers). Hopefully, you have cleaned all those big glass doors onto the back garden so you can let that greener view of nature into the home.

Size matters

Irrespective of how big or small your property is, you want every room to feel as large as possible. Hence, furniture placement is vital. People typically will scan a room from left to right. Placing the tallest piece of furniture in the far left corner of a room will give the illusion that space is bigger. And as the age-old saying goes, less is more. If you can temporarily palm off your unnecessary furniture, i.e. the second couch, the cupboard jutting out in the middle of the hallway, or the television, to your friend with a nice spacious lock-up garage, do it. Do whatever you can to make each space feel bigger.

Make your bed, but don’t lay in it

Something as simple as making your bed properly, fluffing the cushions, adding some euro cushions and a throw, can soften the room and create feelings of comfort. Beds are also a good way to pick up the colour in a room, so try to match the throw or pillow covers with colours in a piece of art.

Divert focus

If there is still something you are unable to fix, find a way to divert focus. If you try to cover something or hide it, most people will see through your master plan and it will also plant doubt in the minds of your potential buyers who will wonder what else is being covered up. Instead, just place a beautiful or interesting object or piece of art in another part of the room that will divert focus.

Walk the floor

Now that you have made it through all these steps, it’s time to walk the floor. Grab your friend, your mum, your very observant 5-year-old, and slowly walk through your property ensuring every scribble has been covered, every door hinge tightened, light bulb changed, cushion fluffed, throws thrown and plants planted.

You’ve done a great job DIY styling but getting an outside perspective to make sure you’ve not missed anything is always important. Now, pour yourself a glass of wine, being extra careful of the clean white walls and beige rug (if you’re a red lover like myself, you now need to have that glass of wine outside now), sit back, and let your agent do the rest.

If you need assistance on how to style your property to sell it, then get in touch with our expert property managers.

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