Many sellers hesitate to spend money on preparing their homes for sale, but investing in both home improvements and professional staging is essential to getting the best results.
1. Take advice on where to spend money before you stage
Staging alone won’t cut it if your home clearly needs repairs. Even with the best staging, buyers will notice things like leaky taps, cracks, or damp spots—and it can make the house feel neglected and less valuable.
Especially in luxury homes, buyers expect everything to be in perfect shape. They’re not just paying for the beautiful decor, but also for a home where everything works flawlessly, from the fixtures to the overall maintenance. So, if there are any issues, they need to be fixed before staging happens.
Another important step is to repaint with neutral colours and get rid of any personal design touches like feature walls. This helps buyers see the home as a blank canvas where they can imagine their own style, making it feel more inviting and open.
Below: Get rid of feature walls. Paint the whole house the same colour, preferably white or a shade of white. This gives the home flow and continuity.
2. Clear clutter in all areas, even the garage
One of the key areas often overlooked is the garage—tidy it up and remove any clutter. Selling or giving away items that won’t go with you should happen before listing the property, not later. By clearing out unnecessary items, potential buyers can envision how they’d use the space, creating a positive first impression.
Below: Paint outdated brown cupboards white...
3. Quickly get photos of your staged property online
It's so important to have an agent who gets how crucial timing is when selling your home. Once the staging is done, photos should be taken right away—ideally the very next day—so your listing can go online and start attracting buyers immediately.
Most of my staging contracts are for 30 days, so you want to make the absolute most of that time. I can’t tell you how often I’ve looked for listing photos of a property I’ve staged, only to find they’re still not up a week or even two weeks later. That’s valuable time wasted, and it really lessens the impact of the staging you’ve invested in.
The best-case scenario? Staging on Wednesday, photos on Thursday, online by Friday, and a showday on Sunday to catch those weekend buyers. Of course, weather can sometimes throw a wrench in the plan, but this timeline ensures you’re not losing momentum. Make sure your agent has the photographer lined up the day after staging so everything moves quickly, and you get the most out of your home staging contract. The sooner your home is online, the sooner the offers can start rolling in!
Contact Liesa from Home Stagers Cape Town to stage your property: +27 848432426.
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