You looked for the house, you bought the house, you fixed the house, you inspected the house. Now it’s time to sell the house.
If you’re in the house flipping business, selling the house should be the frosting on the cake. The moment you can celebrate after all the hard work. But before you celebrate, make sure you get the most out of your investment by staging the house the right way.
When staging your fix and flip house for selling, you do not want to go over your budget. Here are some house flipping tips for staging and make a great return!
1. Don’t Overlook the Yard
Think about it, the first impression you get from a property is the front yard. And we all know how important first impressions are.
No matter how much time is spent on the inside, if the property isn’t somewhat decent, potential buyers may just keep driving.
Spend some time cleaning up the yard. Simple things like mowing the lawn, painting the door, buying a doormat, and planting a few flowers will make a big difference.
2. Get Ready to Clean
After months of renovation and repairs, there’s no doubt your house will be a little dusty. Take some time to clean up the home before allowing potential buyers to walk through.
Get rid of any clutter that is sitting around, dust the baseboards and corners, wipe down the baseboards, and clean the windows. If you’ve been avoiding any cleaning tasks, now’s the time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.
You’ll be amazed how a little elbow grease can make a home that much more appealing.
3. Focus on Certain Rooms
When staging a fix and flip home, there’s usually a budget. This makes it hard to stage the entire house. So just focus on a few of the rooms. The rooms that most people care the most about include the kitchen, the family room, and the master bedroom.
These rooms have the most influences on potential buyers. They are the rooms where they will be spending most of their time. Make sure these core rooms look good enough for the buyer to imagine themselves spending their time there.
4. Keep it Simple
To make a home appeal to more people, keep the decor simple. You may love Old World Spanish for your own home, but when trying to sell a home, stick with neutral paints and basic sofas.
By keep a neutral pallet, buyers are able to visualize their own furniture and belongings in the space.
So while you may personally love a bright purple dining room, it can be a turn off for potential buyers.
5. Quick Fixes
Home staging is the time to fix any holes, nicks, or scruffs. This shows the buyer that the home has been taken care of. These fixes are easy and cheap to do so don’t overlook them.
But what about bigger issues? Maybe your budget ran out before you could completely gut the kitchen. That’s okay! There are several quick fixes you can make without breaking the bank.
Switching out the appliances, painting the cupboards, and installing new hardware can make a huge difference when it comes to making the place look nice.
6. Highlight Strengths
All houses have good traits. Some are just harder to find than others. Find the best features of your home and highlight them.
Does your house have big windows and great natural lighting? Great! Don’t cover them with drapes. Make those windows the focal point of the room.
Maybe it’s an older home that has original hardwood floors and unique moldings. Make them stand out by refinishing the floors and repainting the woodwork. Those are characteristics that will get your home some extra attention.
7. Use Space Wisely
Often when flipping houses, you’ll find that the square footage of the house hasn’t been used very effectively.
This can be fixed by knowing how to correctly arrange furniture to make the space look bigger.
Here are some tips to make the most of the square footage:
- In small rooms, push furniture up against the wall
- In large rooms, create several different conversation areas
- Use lamps to lighten dark corners
- Turn wasted space under the stairs into a reading nook
Whatever you do to show off your space, make it obvious what way the traffic should flow. All rooms should feel fluid and natural.
8. Accessorize
The buyers who are walking through your fix and flip property are looking for a home. This is not a quick investment for them.
Help them feel more at home by adding some accessories. Items like flowers on the kitchen table, a globe in the office, and some books on the built-ins can make a big difference.
These items can give the house character. Just be sure to not over-do it. The last thing you want is to add a bunch of clutter. Keep it simple and classy.
9. Lighting Is Important
No one wants to live in a dark home. Brighten up your home by letting in as much light as possible. Clean the windows, dust the blinds, and open the drapes. By letting in light, it will help make the space feel bigger.
When showing the house turn on all the lights, even if it’s in the middle of the day. This helps brighten up the home, plus buyers want to see all the fixtures and lighting options in each room. This way they won’t be stumbling in the dark looking for light switches.
10. Appeal to the Senses
House staging all comes down to the five senses.
- Sight: Uses playful pillow and fun artwork to liven up the space
- Sound: Are you located near a busy highway? Play some relaxing music to show that the sound can be drowned out
- Smell: Smell is important. No one wants a house that smells like mildew. Buy some candles or room fragrance to make the small pleasant
- Touch: Add different textures throughout the home that will appeal to touch. Make a chunky knit throw on the bed or a leather pillow on the couch.
- Taste: There’s no harm in offering warm cookies or a bowl of candy to those who walk through your home. Also be ready to offer cold water from the fridge.
There are a lot of little details you can add to appeal to the five senses.
Use These House Flipping Tips
If you’re ready to sell your fix and flip house, uses these house flipping tips when it comes to selling your investment project. These will help you find the best buyer out there.
And you don’t have to do this alone. We’re here to help you every step of the way. So don’t hesitate to call us. We can help you get the most out of your hard work.