Highlight These Features When Staging Your Home

Every house is different, and you can use that to your advantage to help sell your home faster. The features that make your home unique will likely be the deciding factors for a potential buyer when they sign a contract to buy.

Everything about your house will be compared to other houses in the area. If you have a feature that another house doesn’t, that could move you up the list of a buyer’s favorite options. If your house lacks a feature that a similar house has, that can even hurt its value.

Home Appraising Group, home appraisers in Philadelphia, says, “If, for example, the comparable has an extra half bath that the subject doesn’t, the appraiser may deduct the value of that half bath from the sales price of the comparable.”

It’s a good idea for you to do some research beforehand to see what is common in houses in your area. That way, you can make adjustments before an appraisal happens.

Here are a few areas to give special attention to:

What to Highlight When Selling Your Home:

Flooring
Flooring is something homebuyers don’t want to have to worry about when they move in. If they have to replace flooring, that puts all of their other plans on hold.

Hardwood flooring is popular now, but it isn’t appropriate everywhere. Kitchens and bathrooms need a material that is waterproof, like tile, stone, or linoleum. Carpets are also acceptable if they are relatively new and don’t have any stains, tears, or other damage.

If any of your flooring is damaged, replace it immediately. The last thing a potential buyer wants to see is a future flooring project as soon as they walk into a room.

And when you replace your floors, make sure they are visible. Stage your rooms with just enough furniture to give them an idea of what the room could look like. Then leave the walls and floors open as much as possible to make the room seem larger.

Bedrooms
We spend about eight hours a day in our bedrooms, making them some of the most important rooms in our homes. That’s why most descriptions of homes start with the number of bedrooms. If your bedrooms include something unique, be sure to highlight it.

This could include a master bathroom, balcony, or walk-in closet. These kinds of features can help set your home apart from others in the area. If your master bathroom includes a jacuzzi or your bedroom balcony has a dining area, that can set you apart even more.

Outdoor Living Spaces
Speaking of a balcony dining space, outdoor living spaces are another great way to set your home apart from the competition. Porches, decks, patios, and pools can all increase the value of your home and help it sell faster.

Make sure whatever space you have outside is properly lit. Even adding lights around the exterior of your house for easy navigation at night can help sell your home faster.

Professional landscaping can help as well. A nice deck or porch won’t do much for you if the yard looks bad. If you can’t afford to hire professionals, try planting some flowers and shrubs along pathways.

Custom Features
Custom features are great because they show a potential buyer that they will only get them if they choose your house. Features like skylights, spiral staircases, and finished basements and garages are great to show off.

Other houses might have these features, but they won’t be like yours. Find a way to highlight these features even more and you’ll provide them with something they can’t live without.

If the exterior of your house includes custom architecture, that can help to set yourself apart as well. Custom spires, roofing, windows, and walls can all add a bit of uniqueness to a home.

Home Security Features
A home with all these great features will likely need a home security system. If you have one already, definitely feature it heavily. Cameras, sensors, alarms, and fences all help potential buyers feel safer.

And if you’re having trouble selling your home, adding a security system could help it sell faster, especially if similar homes in the area have them. Like any sale, it’s all about setting yourself apart from the competition.

Take Amazing Photos (like ours)!
Having all these features is great, but if you don’t take great pictures and add them to your online listings, you won’t get anybody to visit your house in the first place. When you finish staging your home, have professional photographs taken.

If you can’t afford a professional photographer, at least invest in a high-quality camera. Homebuyers want to see photos before they decide to tour a house. If yours aren’t better than your competition, you could lose out on a lead.

Video content is making its way to the real estate industry as well. If you provide them with an online video tour of your home, that will give them even more confidence to come visit in person.

What are some of the best qualities of your home? Let us know in the comments below!

Jennifer Bell is a freelance writer, blogger, dog-enthusiast and avid beachgoer operating out of Southern New Jersey.