First impressions are key when attracting potential homebuyers; you want them to envision their lives in your house. Home staging is a standard real estate tactic for selling a home quickly, but many homeowners get it wrong. Our real estate agents have compiled the top staging mistakes they see among sellers:

1. Poor Furniture Staging
   Too much furniture in a living space makes it feel smaller, and buyers find it harder to envision how their furniture will fit into the space. You may love the large sectional sofa in your family room, but is it too large for that area?
   
   Many homeowners place furniture on the diagonal or push sofas and desks toward walls to make rooms feel larger. Instead, move sitting arrangements toward the center to make living rooms feel spacious. Also, determine where the real estate agent stands to take listing photos to ensure that the furniture doesn't crowd the pictures at those angles.  
   
   
2. Not Repainting Your Home
   Painting is an affordable way to revive your home's appearance. A fresh coat of paint makes your home seem brand new, especially if the walls and ceilings have peeling paint.
   
   Neutral, light palettes attract buyers looking at Bretton Woods homes for sale because they can visualize injecting their personality into your home. If you have bold colors across your home, buyers are put off by the extra effort to paint over your walls when they move in. So, use neutral colors and add color with rugs, pillows, and other accessories.
   
   
3. Personalizing the Décor
   It's natural for homeowners to furnish their houses with sentimental items like family photos and collectibles. But remember that potential buyers don't necessarily share your interests, and a large number of collectibles can be overwhelming to potential buyers. At the same time, your home shouldn't lack any style. Think about staging your house more like a hotel room to appeal to a broad range of buyers.
   
   
4. Forgetting to Stage Storage Areas
   Often, homeowners hide items in closets, garages, and other storage areas when staging their homes. Today's homebuyer is interested in storage space and will check those areas when evaluating your home. Before you stage the house, declutter, donate, or throw away unused items. Then, clean and organize the entryway storage area, pantry, and closets for a neat finish.
   
   
5. Hanging Pictures at Awkward Heights
   Leaving a picture or two on the wall enhances the aesthetics of living spaces. But, the wrong proportion and height can throw things off balance and influence a buyer's first impression. Artwork should take up no more than two-thirds to three-quarters of your wall space and hang 60 inches from the floor.
   
   
6. Ignoring Odors
   You may have gotten used to certain smells in your home, but they can drive away potential buyers. Commonly, homeowners often use air fresheners, scented candles, and chemical fragrances, but some buyers are sensitive to perfumes and strong scents. Also, artificial scents make buyers assume that you're masking unpleasant odors.
   
   Fresh air is the best way to sell your home. So, open all the windows, empty the litter box, throw away the trash, and have a professional check for mold and other reasons for foul odors.

When you stage a home, you want to provide a lived-in feel but avoid crowding your space with too many personal items. Contact us for more tips to sell your house quickly.