Home Staging Techniques For Your Apartment

Although the real estate market is currently booming and selling an apartment is becoming more and more simple, a good first impression is crucial for completing a faster sale as well as keeping the selling price exactly as high as you want. For this reason, it is important to show as an impeccable of an apartment possible, so that it catches the eye of potential buyers as something they don’t want to miss out on. It is also important to keep in mind that generally, a visit is completed before the buyer is seriously interested in the flat, so you need to show an apartment that the buyer can fall in love with through only a short visit. Right now, there are a series of popular techniques to make sure your apartment showing successful. Today at ShBarcelona, we’ll be telling you about this type of preparation, called Home Staging.  

Related article: Selling your property in Barcelona

Get your apartment in the game with Home Staging

Home staging is a real estate sales technique that helps you to get your home ready so it can sell faster and at a higher price. While you should certainly invest some time and money into making your apartment presentable and ready for a new buyer, the benefits of applying these techniques guarantee a higher rentability for your home. Home Staging originated in the United States, where it has been applied to real estate sales since the 70s. Now, these techniques are booming in Spain and Barcelona especially, helping owners to successfully sell flats at higher rates and for higher prices. The first thing to keep in mind is that an apartment is like any other product you are hoping to sell – if it appears dirty, old or undesirable, it will be much harder to sell for a good price. This philosophy is the basis for Home Staging; creating a nice, presentable flat where potential buyers can easily visualize living there without having to force it.  

The first step, and most important, is cleaning. The space should be absolutely spotless and organized for showings. In addition, appliances and other items that are in bad shape should be repaired, especially those that you notice at first glance or that will be used frequently. For example, old doorknobs and non-functioning plugs and switches should be replaced or fixed. If there are residents currently living in the house, it’s best to take advantage of the space and maximize the area so it looks larger. Everything should be organized and clean, and if the curtains or couches are bright or intense colors, or if they damaged in any places, it’s a good idea to put on a neutral-colored sofa cover to balance out the room and hide any affected areas, and to take down the curtains if need be. If you are looking to sell a furnished apartment, you should consider which furniture will highlight the best features of your apartment and look the most natural. Don’t overcrowd the rooms, and choose furniture and textiles that are neutral in color and blend into the space. If you will be selling an empty apartment, you might consider adding temporary furnishings to help buyers visualize how the space can be used.

Related article: 6 tips for great real estate photos

As you prepare to show your apartment, it’s also essential to depersonalize the space by removing personal items that relate to actual owners or residents. This way, buyers aren’t distracted and can imagine how they would decorate and fill the space if they were living there. Therefore, you should remove family photos, wall decor, pictures and magnets on the refrigerator and any other items that directly refer to people currently living there. The closets and cupboards in the home should be perfectly clean and cleared out so they are ready to be inspected by the buyer, who may want to observe their space and capacity. A clean, pleasant smell is also important for making a good impression – installing some form of nice air freshener is always a good option. Choosing warm, low lights that give a cozy touch to the room but also allow for clear visibility in the room creates a calm, tranquil environment for viewers. Adding to this feeling of tranquility with relaxing music will be the cherry on top.  

Would you try out these Home Staging techniques?