Spruce Up Your Listing Without Breaking the Bank

Whether you’re selling your own home or someone else’s, the way you stage the listing before you show it can lure the right buyer to you or drive them away. Staging can get expensive, but it is absolutely necessary if you have any hope of getting your house off the market. Here are some affordable tips to help turn your listing into their new home.

● The first thing potential home buyers will see is the front exterior of the house, and a little light landscaping can really improve your curb appeal. Once you’ve mowed the lawn and cleaned up any mess, pick up some inexpensive flowers that are already in bloom. If there isn’t a patch of yard that will work for a little flower bed, put them in pots around the door. They will add a splash of color and help set this listing apart from its neighbors.

● Make certain that you’ve touched up any minor flaws that might turn off potential buyers, such as scratches in paint and dings in fixtures. These touch-ups won’t cost much, but their impact on your ability to sell your listing is tremendous.

● Finding affordable ways to update the knobs and light fixtures can make a remarkable difference in the appearance of a home. Scouring thrift shops and yard sales can be time-consuming, but they can be a gold mine of inexpensive hardware to set help your listing stand out among all of the others the home buyers will look at.

● custom wallpaper can allow you to add drama or set the scene in a particular room without depleting your staging budget. You can use just the right photograph or pattern to open a room up, or to create a magical getaway right within the home. These products won’t damage the paint beneath, and they are a one time expense that can be removed and reused again in another listing.

● Brightly colored throw pillows, quilts, or afghans can accent a room, giving it a feeling of light and warmth. These are things that you may already own or that can be picked up for a reasonable price online or at any home decor store.

● The people who will be looking at your listing need to see it decorated, looking as though it is a comfortable and lived in home, but you want to avoid personalizing it too much. After all, they want to imagine pictures of their own families hanging from the wall, not look at pictures of yours. Framing colored fabrics can make the home feel put together without making it feel too personal. Visit fabric and craft stores and check their sale or clearance areas. Since you won’t need much, you should be able to pick up some beautiful prints for a price that you can bear.

The real estate market always carries with it a certain element of risk, and staging a listing to be viewed can be expensive but these simple tips can help you to turn those potential buyers into the new owners without breaking the bank.
Author Info:

Chris Garrett is a large format printing expert and freelance writer for the custom printed wallpaper expert Megaprint.com. He frequently blogs on the topics of design and printing.