6 Common Mistakes When Styling A Home For Sale

First of all, what does 'styling your home for sale' actually mean? There are a number of different ways to go about this. But either way, don't make these mistakes.

Styling your home for sale is a relatively new technique used in Real Estate. 5 years ago, it wasn't encouraged as much as it is now. And that's because buyers are becoming more and more informed.

The process could involve swapping out all the furniture in your home with all new furniture. Or hiring a professional stylist to come in and replace your furniture for a number of weeks. But not everyone has the money to spend nor is it necessary if you have items to work with. There are things you can do with what you have which can work just as well.

You want to create a neural and contemporary atmosphere so that when your potential buyers are looking are your listing online or walking through the open home, that they can picture themselves living there. It's not that they don't like your style or family photos but you want to create a canvas for them.

These are the things you should avoid...

1. Not cleaning up

There's nothing worse than walking into someone's dirty, smelly and clammy house where the first thing you want to do is race straight back out the door. You MUST clean everything before putting your house on the market. If you don't have time, hire someone to do it for you. You'll be doing yourself a huge disfavour if this is neglected.

2. Neglecting the exteriors and gardens

First impressions are lasting impressions. so if your letter box is crooked, your gutters are rusting and the gardens are overgrown, you're not off to a good start.

Buyers aren't just looking at the inside. They'll be looking for all sorts of ways to cut you down on price. So make sure you pay attention to the externals.

3. Too much clutter

You might love your tea pot collection or the giant teddy bear that your grandchildren might love one day. But your buyers don't. And shoving things into cupboards won't solve the problem because buyers look there too. We know they do! This is a great time to get rid of the stuff you've been holding on to for years. Sell some items, donate them or do a trip to the dump. Clutter will not sell your home and it's a huge turn-off. It will block buyers from seeing the home's full potential.

4. Lack of natural lighting

Open the windows, draw the curtains and turn on ALL the lights. It's important to make the home feel light, bright and open. Dark areas will make buyers hold back from looking, whereas light feels welcoming and relaxing.

5. Too much personality

It sounds terrible, but the fact is, buyers need to be able to imagine themselves in your home. Not feeling as though they're intruding. So remove the portraits off the wall, neutralise the 'theme', change the sheets on the bed and plump up the pillows. It might be about time you bought some new linen and cushions anyway...

6. Leaving pets at home

Believe it or not, not everyone loves animals. So having the cat on the bed or even the dog in the yard can stop people from seeing the whole house. Get your neighbour to look after them or take them for a walk for 30 minutes. Also, remove their food bowls and litter trays for obvious reasons.