It’s time to sell your Seattle home and your real estate agent might have mentioned that you need to get it staged. Staging puts your home in shape so that any buyer can see themselves living in your home, and it means taking away personal details and bringing in design elements with wide appeal. When agents talk about staging, they are primarily referring to the inside of your home, but the outside matters too. The front yard is a buyer’s first introduction to your home, and the backyard is where they can see themselves relaxing and enjoying outdoor entertaining. If you are thinking about staging the outside of your home yourself, these tips are worth considering.
Streamline your front yard
The first and most obvious step for staging is getting your yard in order. Bushes will need to be trimmed, plants pruned, and the grass mowed. If you have bare spots on your lawn, rather than going through the expense of putting in a new lawn, you can cover up those spots with mulch or rocks. A staged front yard will add to, not take away from, your home, and also let the light come into the front of your house. If your yard really needs some TLC, consider hiring a gardener to put in the work.
Paint your front door
A bold front door is like a big welcome sign and painting your front door in a bold color like red, blue, yellow, or even black, can give it some extra personality when staging the outside of your home. If you aren’t sure which color to go with, consult with your real estate agent, and also keep in mind how you can coordinate your front door’s new color with other decorative elements like the numbers on your house and your mailbox.
Add decorative plants
Aside from painting your front door, you can also add something extra to the outside of your home by placing a pair of potted plants on each side of your front door. These plants can act like a welcome mat, inviting potential buyers to come in for a closer look. While it might be tempting to add fake plants, real plants are a must here and should also coordinate with the other greenery in your yard.
Assess your lighting
Chances are your agent will be showing your home during the day, but if there are showings at night then you’ll definitely want to pay attention to lighting. At the front of your home, you can add small lights along the walkway, and update lighting near the house number. In the backyard, string lights can add a fun and inviting atmosphere.
Make it comfortable
Another important feature of the backyard is to make it cozy. Tables and chairs can be replaced with oversized chairs and sofas that are just as comfortable as indoor furniture. Working with a staging company, you can bring these pieces in temporarily while showing your house.
Staging a home is one of the most important steps of selling a house. The outside of your home is just as important as the inside.
