For Des Moines sellers, the question of whether to stage your for-sale home will no doubt come up. Some sellers choose to skip staging the house, while others hire professional stagers and go all out. Your decision to stage or not will depend on your particular situation and preferences, but staging is often a great choice for sellers — especially if they’re motivated to make a quick sale. Here are some reasons why staging can be useful for Des Moines sellers:

A Strong First Impression

First impressions matter, and this is especially true in real estate. Buyers tend to prioritize how a house makes them feel. Practical matters, like location, amenities, and the state of the property are very important, but the feeling they have the first time they walk through the door can have a big impact on their opinion of the house overall.

Lets Buyers Know It’s Been Well Maintained

A house that’s been staged properly tells buyers it’s been cared for. Staging means you’ve addressed repairs and livened-up dated interiors. These details show buyers that the owners kept the place up. It gives them confidence that they can move right in and they’re not taking on a massive project.

They Can See Themselves in It

You want to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to envision themselves living in the space. This doesn’t mean stripping the house of all the personality, but it does mean removing some of your personal touches to make it easier for buyers to imagine what their lives would look like there. Staging allows you to create a cleaner canvas for buyers without making it feel cold or uninhabited.

Give Every Room a Purpose

Maybe you have an extra room that you use for closet overflow, or perhaps you’re using a nook for workout equipment. When you’re selling, every space needs to have a purpose. Staging can help you turn that extra room into a coveted guest bedroom and office, and transform that nook into a comfortable reading corner.

Maximize Space

If you’ve lived there a while, you’re used to the furniture and amount of space you have. That giant sectional that allows for family movie-night may be a big plus for you, but for buyers, it may be devouring valuable space and making the living room look and feel smaller. Staging will allow you to maximize and highlight the space available. And just as much as oversized furniture can impact the feel of a space, undersized furniture can do the same. Staging will help you find the perfect balance to entice prospective buyers.

Catch Their Attention

Finally, your house is just one of many that prospective buyers will be considering — staging is a great way to stand out from the competition. Put yourself in your buyer’s shoes: You have two similar homes on your list that meet your basic criteria, but one stands out as being spacious and move-in ready. Which one would you choose? Most buyers will go for the staged house that allows them to envision themselves there.

If you want to sell your Des Moines home at the best possible price, it’s worth considering the option to stage it. With these ideas, you can work to transform your home into one that buyers will be enthusiastic to own.

If you’d like to talk more about staging your home, or if you need a recommendation for a professional stager or an experienced, local Realtor, please get in touch. I’m always happy to help.