Furniture Fix-Ups Sure to Enhance Your Space and Attract Prospective BuyersBy Keith Loria
When preparing your home for sale, no detail can be overlooked when it comes to creating an inviting space that stands out from the rest. From staging the home to updating lights and fixtures to create mass appeal, sellers are pulling out all the stops. And furniture is a great way to set the mood within each room.
Furniture also comes in handy as it gives prospective buyers an idea about the size and scale of the space, helping them envision what their finished room would look like. If you have a loveseat couch across from a big-screen flat-panel TV, chances are, that’s what a house hunter will be envisioning for their future. Most industry insiders believe that having furniture within the home is actually better than showing an empty space, as rooms with nothing in them appear smaller and don’t spark the imagination as well. The problem is that many people selling a home plan to buy new furniture when they arrive at their new house, so what’s being shown is often old, worn and dated. Rather than replace everything, a simple solution is to cover chairs and sofas with neutral-colored slipcovers and fix worn wooden furniture with scratch cover formulas that can restore the look of both dark and light finishes. If you have spaces in your home that are empty—or furniture that’s too old to do anything about—consider borrowing furniture from friends and family. Or take a trip to the local antique store and see if there’s anything you can pick up cheaply. They may even let you rent items. Thrift stores and furniture rental companies can also come in handy as they sell discontinued pieces at bargain prices. Even if you’re not planning on taking the pieces with you when you move, you can always sell them at a garage sale or even offer them to the buyer as an added extra. You also have the option of using a professional stager who will come in with his or her own furniture or help you find the best pieces to highlight your home. According to the Real Estate Staging Association, not only do professionally staged properties look better, they also spend 73 percent less time on the market, typically sell for more money and have fewer concessions requested of the seller. When you’re making decisions on where to place furniture, make sure to keep things open and showcase the finer points of each room. Never hide things like big windows or an antique fireplace by putting a piece of furniture directly in front of it. Finally, use area rugs to define spaces, but make sure they’re in proper proportion to the furniture and space to create the perfect look. To learn more about using furniture to enhance your home, contact our office today. |
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