How to Stage a House for Sale in Gig Harbor's Fall Months

To summarize:

• Start the staging process by planning a light and neutral style in key rooms of the house that will most influence buyer decisions

• Ensure the rooms are clean, and choose lighting that matches the purpose of that room

• Keep all rooms simple and greenery outside trimmed, reducing clutter by temporarily packing it away

The fall months in Gig Harbor bring shorter days and heavier rain, yet buyers still expect to see bright and warm photos of the house before making a purchase. Would you know how to stage a house for sale while meeting those requirements? 

According to the Realty News Report, almost half of all realtors note that a well-staged home can reduce the amount of time it is on the market. So, what can you do to give yourself the best chance of a speedier and potentially more lucrative closing?

Below, we offer a guide to help you when staging your home to sell without overloading your timeline or budget. Read on to discover important home staging tips, including how lighting choices and decor can make all the difference. Finally, learn how Schulte & Co. can help by ensuring your listing is as professional as possible. 

Staging a Home in the Fall

Start the real estate staging process by focusing on the area that buyers tend to judge first. These include the:

• Curb appeal view

• Living room

• Kitchen

• Main bedroom

• Main bathroom

Work on these areas before updating anywhere else. Staged homes tend to close for significantly more money than those left in their natural state. So, dedicating a whole weekend, if not multiple weeks, to staging can pay itself back considerably. The steps you will need to take include:

• Decluttering each space

• Performing a deep clean

• Choosing appropriate bulbs and swapping them out

• Adding minor seasonal touches, such as a wreath or pumpkin

• Scheduling services such as cleaners and photographers

You likely don’t want to add too many seasonal items during the home staging process. Doing so can make your space seem kitsch and make it harder for viewers to imagine living there. Instead, allow them to imagine their own holiday experiences during the showing as they walk around.

Taking the Photographs

People make a judgment about a home within seconds of seeing that first photo. It can be a potent tool in marketing the property to others, so make sure that you invest in how your home appears to others in every photograph.

With every other realtor out there using professional photographers, don’t take the photos yourself unless you either have no choice or you know what you’re doing. Professionals will know what areas of your home will appeal to buyers, and you can work with them to learn where they might want to show off spaces, preventing you from needing to stage areas that they won’t feature.

How to Stage a House for Sale While Still Living In It

Take the time to declutter and clean, and depersonalize the space by removing personal photos or unique keepsakes. You want the space to look as though someone else could come in and make it their own, rather than feel as though they are stepping into someone else’s space.

If you will still be using the space, you will also need to ensure that you can keep it clean while allowing for an easy reset after changing things in the room. Then, if people wish to come for a tour, you don’t need to quickly put away more than what you were using at that specific time.

Consider creating a “fall reset kit” for your house doorways, complete with wet gear bins for people to drop in rain-soaked clothes and stacks of absorbent cloths for quick wipe-ups in case mud or debris enters the home.

In theory, you want to move out quickly once the sale is closed, and you could even start packing immediately. If so, keep anything you expect to need, such as fall holiday decorations, so that you can remember the “last Halloween” in your home. However, put away things you do not expect to otherwise touch before a move.

Use the Senses to Create a Fall Mood

So, ensure that you understand lighting concepts, such as promoting a feeling of cozy warmth in a room, and what it offers your listing. The color of the light can do a lot of heavy lifting to make a place appear cozy, rather than somewhere bright and “Ikea clean.” 

Use warm-white bulbs throughout the house, at around 2,700-3,000K (Kelvin). These are warm tones evoke a sense of relaxing early evenings and boost first impressions.

When people are about to arrive, throw open the windows too. The German practice of “lüften”, rapidly airing out a room, can help you prepare a space in minutes. If you can’t air out the home for any reason, look for natural scents to cover up any mustiness rather than stronger plug-ins. Then, if your home has the smell of fallen leaves and an undertone of campfires, you will have matched the perfect aura for a fall sale.

Confidently Stage Your Fall Listing

With designer staging and a range of professional services to help you get your home in perfect order, Schulte & Co.’s concierge real estate service can handle all of the complicated steps for you without you needing to juggle dozens of vendors. We know how to stage a house for sale and will work with you to ensure we show off your unique home in the best light, at no cost to you, to maximize your results and give you the best possible returns.

With professionals who can photograph and video each property, we can provide modern marketing that attracts buyers. If you want to know more or learn why Schulte & Co. is so well-trusted in the region, get in contact for a free consultation. We can discuss our process with you to ensure that you feel at ease with our efforts moving forward.