10 Faux Pas to Avoid When Staging Your Denver Home For Sale

Most buyers’ agents agree that buyers find it easier to see a property as a future home when it’s been well-staged. According to the National Association of Realtors, well-staged homes saw increased offers with a decrease in the length of time the listing stayed active.

These trends apply throughout Denver, especially in trendy neighborhoods like Washington Park. Below are ten faux pas to avoid when staging your Wash Park home.

Buyers looking at Denver real estate want to visualize the home as their own. This can be hard to imagine when the home for sale is personalized for someone else. Sellers should remove all photographs on display and send any irreplaceable knick-knacks to storage for safekeeping.

Sellers of Denver and Washington Park real estate should review their storage options. Are closets and cabinets full and bursting with stuff? If yes, it’s time to organize and get rid of things that are not needed. If there are items scattered around without a proper storage location, pack them up and move them elsewhere to reduce the appearance of clutter. It can be helpful to hire an organization expert or enlist help from family and friends.

Although it’s common to place furniture against walls in living spaces, you should arrange furniture to highlight the room. Select a rug or another item (like a coffee table) to anchor the center of the area, then structure the remaining pieces around it. Make sure walkways are clear and easy to navigate. An interior designer or professional stager can assist with furniture placement to ensure each room looks its best and is ideal for photography.

Just as a cluttered room can make it difficult for a buyer to picture themselves living in the space, so too can empty rooms. Although empty rooms give the appearance of large open spaces, it can be difficult for a buyer to imagine if their possessions will fit well without an existing furniture layout in place. For sellers who have already moved their possessions, a home staging service can provide furniture rental and room design for the duration of the showing.

A property’s exterior forms the basis of a buyer’s first impression, so updating the outside of your Wash Park home is essential. At a minimum, sellers must ensure plants are pruned and the lawn is well-maintained. Sellers of single-family homes should consider the siding or paint of the building’s exterior. If the exterior wall features are over a decade old, sellers may see a better return on investment for upgraded siding, doors, windows, shutters, and roofing.

Many buyers prefer to purchase a home with upgraded kitchens and bathrooms. Before listing, sellers should consider their kitchen appliances, cabinets, and countertops — when were they last upgraded? If countertops and cabinets are at least 10-15 years old, it may be worth the investment to upgrade before listing. Make sure to match appliance colors for every item in the kitchen for a cohesive look. For bathrooms, consider upgrading the cabinets, faucets, mirrors, tile, and facilities if they were last upgraded 10+ years ago.

With more people working from home, buyers prefer to see a property with additional space in Washington Park. If an entire room is unavailable, staging a desk with a laptop in an area without too much interruption can help buyers envision themselves working from home.

Sellers of Wash Park real estate should review each walkway and room of their property to determine if lighting needs to be enhanced or replaced. Sellers should ensure the property has proper lighting for the best return on investment. Use warm lighting throughout the space and highlight windows with soft, light fabrics that filter in natural light. In the kitchen and bathrooms, consider adding under-cabinet lighting. In the bedrooms and living spaces, it’s recommended that lamps supplement any available natural light.

One of the first things buyers will notice upon entering Wash Park homes for sale is any odd smells, such as pet odor or the lingering scent of smoke. Sellers should first deep clean the property rather than cover these scents by adding extra aromas through essential oils, candles, or fabric refresher sprays. Sellers can contact home cleaning professionals for assistance with deep cleaning and scent management. For daily maintenance between showings, the use of fabric refresher sprays and baking soda-based carpet refresher can be beneficial.

When staging Wash Park real estate, sellers should aim to avoid the extremes of all dark and all light. It’s helpful to choose wall colors and room accents that help brighten up a space, though darker elements make solid accent pieces in an otherwise light-toned room. On the opposite end of the spectrum, not having enough color can make the space seem bland and unappealing. For assistance in striking the right balance of color, sellers can contact an interior designer or home staging professional.

For additional recommendations on staging a property for the best return on investment, reach out to Denver realtor Alex Rice for a consultation. Alex has years of experience and will help sell your home faster—and for more money—than you may have thought possible. Contact Alex today!