Save Money on Home Staging and Still Sell Faster
Spend only where it matters on home staging to keep money in your pocket and buyers lined up
Being resourceful and frugal doesn't just apply to interior design. When staging a home to sell, be careful about spending money. Many people spend their money in all the wrong places, when consulting with a good Home Stager on those decisions first could actually save them money.
Discover where you can save when staging your home to sell with these guidelines.
Discover where you can save when staging your home to sell with these guidelines.
Don't paint the trim. Even if you need to paint the walls in a few rooms, there's usually no need to paint the trim when staging your home. Having your trim painted requires more time, effort and money (if you hire it out) than painting your walls. You'll get more bang for your buck if you paint the walls and skip the trim.
Don't refinish the floor. If you have hardwood and it isn't in perfect shape, don't spend your money having the floors refinished.
Home buyers love hardwood, and it's always seen as an upgrade even if it's imperfect. Sometimes a good cleaning and some touch-ups with wood stain are all you need to revive your floor.
If your floor really needs more than that, consider a low-cost alternative to refinishing: Apply a fresh topcoat of nonyellowing polyurethane, found in the flooring section of a home improvement store.
Be sure to very lightly sand the floors with a pole sander and fine-grit sandpaper. No heavy sanding is necessary here. You are just looking to knock down the gloss so that the new coat of poly will stick. I've done this myself with 60-year-old hardwoods and couldn't believe how great the result was.
Home buyers love hardwood, and it's always seen as an upgrade even if it's imperfect. Sometimes a good cleaning and some touch-ups with wood stain are all you need to revive your floor.
If your floor really needs more than that, consider a low-cost alternative to refinishing: Apply a fresh topcoat of nonyellowing polyurethane, found in the flooring section of a home improvement store.
Be sure to very lightly sand the floors with a pole sander and fine-grit sandpaper. No heavy sanding is necessary here. You are just looking to knock down the gloss so that the new coat of poly will stick. I've done this myself with 60-year-old hardwoods and couldn't believe how great the result was.
Don't buy new furniture. Just pare down what you have and declutter. You may want to borrow a few things from a relative or a close friend if it will help make a space feel "finished."
In bedrooms, all you need is a nicely dressed bed, a side table and a lamp. If your decor is dated or tired, you may want to purchase new bedding, a few updated lamps and fresh throw pillows — but make sure they are things you'd like to take with you to your new home.
In bedrooms, all you need is a nicely dressed bed, a side table and a lamp. If your decor is dated or tired, you may want to purchase new bedding, a few updated lamps and fresh throw pillows — but make sure they are things you'd like to take with you to your new home.
Don't replace appliances in good condition. If your white or black kitchen appliances are newish and in good condition, don't worry about replacing them with trendy stainless steel versions. If your appliances are worn or old, however, that's another story.
Don't automatically buy new lights. Do you have hanging light fixtures that look dated? Rather than replacing them, consider painting them black. It'll be an instant update for very little cash.
Don't replace all your brass. Shiny brass can make a home look dated, but often there are so many doorknobs, fixtures and hinges that replacing them all is cost prohibitive.
Antiqued or satin-finish brass is beginning to trend and looks more expensive than the brushed nickel many people use to update their brass. You can inexpensively purchase a product to "age" or slightly debrass your hardware. If you don't have time to get to all of it, just focus on the bathroom fixtures.
Antiqued or satin-finish brass is beginning to trend and looks more expensive than the brushed nickel many people use to update their brass. You can inexpensively purchase a product to "age" or slightly debrass your hardware. If you don't have time to get to all of it, just focus on the bathroom fixtures.
Guess what? It's totally design forward to mix metals in your finishes if you mix the right ones.
Designer's tip: If you can afford to update some but not all of your dated light fixtures, faucets and cabinet pulls, know that:
• Brushed nickel and chrome look great paired with iron and black finishes.
• Gold and brass look great paired with an oil-rubbed-bronze finish.
Mix away!
Designer's tip: If you can afford to update some but not all of your dated light fixtures, faucets and cabinet pulls, know that:
• Brushed nickel and chrome look great paired with iron and black finishes.
• Gold and brass look great paired with an oil-rubbed-bronze finish.
Mix away!
Don't repaint or neutralize your children's rooms. Most people expect themed kids' rooms. They aren't overwhelmed with the idea of repainting a small child's room to meet their specific needs or taste. This is not an area that will make or break a sale, so don't bother redoing it.
Tell us: Any other ideas for saving money when staging a home to sell?
Tell us: Any other ideas for saving money when staging a home to sell?