Are you ready to sell your Leawood home so you can relocate or upgrade to a larger home in the Leawood area that better fits your family’s lifestyle?
The Leawood real estate market is somewhat competitive right now, with more interested buyers than there are homes on the market. This is good news for sellers, as they are more likely to get multiple offers on their homes and can often sell them for above list price. However, to experience the benefits of a seller’s market, you need to make sure your home is properly prepared for showing.
One of the best ways to make your home appeal to buyers is to stage it. Not only do staged homes sell for approximately 17% more than non-staged homes, but they also tend to sell approximately 87% faster.
Ready to stage your home for a quick sale? Here are some rooms you need to pay attention to.
The Leawood real estate market is somewhat competitive right now, with more interested buyers than there are homes on the market. This is good news for sellers, as they are more likely to get multiple offers on their homes and can often sell them for above list price. However, to experience the benefits of a seller’s market, you need to make sure your home is properly prepared for showing.
One of the best ways to make your home appeal to buyers is to stage it. Not only do staged homes sell for approximately 17% more than non-staged homes, but they also tend to sell approximately 87% faster.
Ready to stage your home for a quick sale? Here are some rooms you need to pay attention to.
1. Living Room
Your living room is where potential buyers of Leawood homes for sale need to be able to visualize themselves relaxing with family or entertaining friends. To help them do this, make sure the paint in your living room is a neutral beige, tan, or off-white and that you’ve removed all family photos or unique pieces of artwork that won’t appeal to a broad spectrum of buyers.
If you have large pieces of furniture or a lot of furniture that makes the room appear crowded, remove some pieces or replace them with smaller versions. You can store the pieces you remove in a storage unit or, if you’ve already bought one of the new Leawood homes for sale to move into, you can put them there.
Now that you’ve pared down furniture, use what you have left to create an area that facilitates conversation. You can do this with a couch, coffee table, and chairs. A conversation area will make potential buyers feel welcome and relaxed.
Finally, play up any natural light you have in your living room by removing heavy curtains or drapes. You can replace them with simple blinds and keep them pulled up to the top of the windows prior to showings or leave off window coverings altogether.
If you have large pieces of furniture or a lot of furniture that makes the room appear crowded, remove some pieces or replace them with smaller versions. You can store the pieces you remove in a storage unit or, if you’ve already bought one of the new Leawood homes for sale to move into, you can put them there.
Now that you’ve pared down furniture, use what you have left to create an area that facilitates conversation. You can do this with a couch, coffee table, and chairs. A conversation area will make potential buyers feel welcome and relaxed.
Finally, play up any natural light you have in your living room by removing heavy curtains or drapes. You can replace them with simple blinds and keep them pulled up to the top of the windows prior to showings or leave off window coverings altogether.
2. Kitchen
The kitchen is the focal point of many Leawood homes for sale. The pandemic showed homeowners how important their home’s kitchen was when they were required to cook and eat at home rather than go out for months on end. The kitchen is so important that it’s one of the most frequently remodeled rooms prior to listing and can also be one of the highest ROI projects for resale.
If you don’t have a remodeling project in your budget, you can still maximize your kitchen’s appeal by staging it correctly. Paint cabinets, install some new hardware to make them appear newer, and put down a cheery rug. Make sure all recycling, garbage, and pet-related items are removed prior to showing to cut down on odors. Clear all counters of clutter. Leawood real estate experts recommend leaving only the coffee pot and toaster on the counters prior to showing.
The pantry, cupboards, and drawers also need to be staged, as potential buyers will be opening them and taking a peek. Declutter these spaces and organize them to maximize the appearance of storage. Finally, remove old sponges from the sink area and set out some fancy hand soap and lotion.
If you don’t have a remodeling project in your budget, you can still maximize your kitchen’s appeal by staging it correctly. Paint cabinets, install some new hardware to make them appear newer, and put down a cheery rug. Make sure all recycling, garbage, and pet-related items are removed prior to showing to cut down on odors. Clear all counters of clutter. Leawood real estate experts recommend leaving only the coffee pot and toaster on the counters prior to showing.
The pantry, cupboards, and drawers also need to be staged, as potential buyers will be opening them and taking a peek. Declutter these spaces and organize them to maximize the appearance of storage. Finally, remove old sponges from the sink area and set out some fancy hand soap and lotion.
3. Master Bedroom
Relaxing is the name of the game when you’re staging the master bedroom. Those who are looking at Leawood homes for sale want to feel like the bedroom is a place where they can rest and feel renewed at the end of the day. To facilitate this feeling, you first need to tone it down if you’ve painted the room in vibrant colors or if it’s highly feminine or masculine. Keeping the room gender-neutral will appeal to all buyers.
Next, make sure your bed is the focal point of the room. Throw on a luxurious bedspread and add some extra pillows, some with an extra pop of color to draw the eye of buyers. Stage the bedside table with a simple lamp and a book and remove clutter from all surfaces. Remove any clothes you do not need from the closet and organize it to maximize space.
Next, make sure your bed is the focal point of the room. Throw on a luxurious bedspread and add some extra pillows, some with an extra pop of color to draw the eye of buyers. Stage the bedside table with a simple lamp and a book and remove clutter from all surfaces. Remove any clothes you do not need from the closet and organize it to maximize space.
4. Home Office
Don’t have a dedicated home office in your house? You might want to consider adding one by staging a guest bedroom or storage room with a desk, comfortable chair, and bookcase. Though many of those shopping for Leawood homes for sale have returned to their offices at least part-time, plenty are still working remotely and will have an eye out for houses that have an office to facilitate their careers. If you don’t have any extra rooms, consider staging a corner of your dining or living room as an office nook to appeal to buyers who will be working from home.
In addition to staging important rooms in your house, you should also hire a professional cleaning company that specializes in preparing Leawood homes for sale for listing. A pro cleaner will know which areas to pay the most attention to to ensure that your house is sparkling clean before the first potential buyer sets foot in the front door. If you’re still living in the home you’re selling, you may want to schedule weekly touch-up cleanings to ensure your home stays in show-ready condition.
Staging is one of the best ways to make your home appeal to the ideal buyer and encourage multiple offers. Keep in mind that staging is not limited to the indoors of your home. Make sure the exterior is also neat, tidy, and in good shape to up your curb appeal and make a good first impression.
In addition to staging important rooms in your house, you should also hire a professional cleaning company that specializes in preparing Leawood homes for sale for listing. A pro cleaner will know which areas to pay the most attention to to ensure that your house is sparkling clean before the first potential buyer sets foot in the front door. If you’re still living in the home you’re selling, you may want to schedule weekly touch-up cleanings to ensure your home stays in show-ready condition.
Staging is one of the best ways to make your home appeal to the ideal buyer and encourage multiple offers. Keep in mind that staging is not limited to the indoors of your home. Make sure the exterior is also neat, tidy, and in good shape to up your curb appeal and make a good first impression.
Ready to start the pre-listing process so you can list your home? Reach out to an experienced Leawood real estate agent like Trent Gallagher for expert assistance.
