When people sell their home they think of all the changes they could make to increase the value of their home. While it’s true there are some renovations you can make to increase the value of your home, not all of them pay off in the long run. Here are the top home staging mistakes to avoid.
- Installing a New Carpet
It may be worth getting rid of an old and worn carpet, but don’t go out and replace it with the most expensive one you can find. Choose a more modest and affordable option. Any kind of carpet is going to make the home look better. There’s also a good chance the new owner will just replace the carpet anyway.
- Get the Latest Kitchen Appliances
If you’re looking to sell my house fast in Los Angeles then the kitchen is a great place to start. There’s nothing wrong with some new appliances, but don’t go all out and buy the best of the best. Most home buyers will want to bring in – and use – their old appliances anyway. At the end of the day you’re just trying to make a home look better. Go for cosmetics over price every time.
- Renovate the Bathroom
As with the kitchen, people looking to buy houses in Los Angeles are looking for something that is clean and fresh. The bathroom doesn’t need to look like it’s straight out of a hotel. You could just replace the caulk around the bathtub or give it a good clean. You don’t need to go so far as to retile everything and install a $5,000 bathroom.
- Install a Swimming Pool
You might think that you have the best backyard in the world. That all it’s missing is a swimming pool, which would look amazing. The problem is that the cost of installing a pool is pretty high. They also take a long time to install properly. That’s on top of the fact that it may be a turn-off for some buyers who don’t want to have to deal with it. Instead of spending thousands on a pool, spend a few hundred on improving the landscaping. Clear out the weeds and create a colorful garden.
- Repainting Rooms The Wrong Way
Repainting rooms can be a good idea, but keep in mind that a buyer wants to find their home. Keep any new paint jobs to neutral colors. If you have everything painted in bright colors buyers will be left thinking of everything they’ll need to do after moving in. They’ll think about what your life in the home was like instead of thinking about what theirs will be like. Keep it simple and neutral.
- Installing Custom Draperies
We all have a need to make our windows look better and more inviting. That said, don’t go all out and buy an expensive drapery. Something more simple like blinds would be a good fit. It creates a uniform look across the house and presents a fresh pallet for the buyer to imagine how they would decorate things if they moved in.
- Paint the Exterior of the House
You definitely want your house to have some curb appeal and stand out. Painting the exterior of your house is not the way to do that. It should still blend in with the rest of the neighborhood. You might want to spruce up the outside a little. Just giving it a good clean would be more than enough. You can paint over the front door too, as that’s going to be something everyone sees. There’s no need to paint he entire house though.
- Removing all the Trees
There’s nothing wrong with trimming back the garden if it’s so overgrown that people can’t even see your house. You should keep the mature trees though. They add significant value to your home and are very appealing. It’s better to pay to have them trimmed back instead of cut down. It’s more expensive, but it pays off more in the end.
- Installing Custom Garage Organizers
It would be great to have a clean and organized garage. We’d all love that. It’s not worth spending money on before you sell your home though. Put everything in order of course and store things away, but don’t go so far as to give your garage a complete overhaul. Just make it clean and tidy.
- Put Down Family Portraits
You might be tempted to cover up empty space in your house with personal family photos. That’s the wrong thing to do when preparing a home for sale. You need to depersonalize the home as much as possible. Buyers should be able to imagine their own personal effects around the house rather than seeing yours.
- Final Thoughts
Staging a home is an important part of the selling process. Anyone looking to buy a house in Los Angeles will want to walk around it first. Knowing what not to do when staging is just as important as knowing what to do when staging. Don’t be afraid to hire an expert if you need one. Los Angeles property prices continue to rise which means it can be a sellers market. Get in touch for professional advice.