I’m a Real Estate Expert: 6 Home-Staging Mistakes I See Sellers Make

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Selling your home can be a complicated process, even if everything runs smoothly. Along with dealing with detailed paperwork and financial aspects, you also have to make a great impression with its appearance. We're not just talking about giving it a good cleaning or painting the walls; we're talking about home staging.

This can be a very profitable move. According to the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), homes that have been staged can sell for up to 20% more than similar homes that are not staged.

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Set your plans to begin this week.

Over-Personalizing the Space

This is your home, and it's likely been your personal space for quite some time. However, as you start considering selling, it's essential to adopt a neutral mindset. Removing the personal touches from your home is a crucial step; failing to do so can be a major error.

some buyers have trouble picturing the house as their own place, which makes it harder for them to connect with it emotionally and they might make lower offers.

Over-personalizing your home may result in lower offers, potentially by 3%-5%, according to Shepherd.

"Use a neutral tone, remove personal items, and create a blank canvas for potential buyers," the real estate agent suggested.

Ignoring Curb Appeal

Home sellers who only spend time making their home's interior look great but neglect what's visible from the outside, particularly from the street, are setting themselves up for potential problems.

A home's outer appearance is the first thing people see, and if the lawn is overgrown or the paint is faded, potential buyers might not even bother to go inside," Shepherd said. "In fact, homes that don't make a good first impression can take around 7 to 10 percent longer to sell, or might even need the asking price to be reduced.

Shepherd advised against making this mistake by suggesting a few simple solutions: investing in basic lawn care, repainting the front door, keeping the welcome mat clean, and adding some beautiful, natural elements such as potted plants to make the entry area more appealing.

Using Incorrectly Sized Furniture

Make certain you don't run into a Goldilocks issue. Ensure that you have furniture that is just the right size.

Larger furniture can make rooms seem cramped, whereas smaller pieces can make spaces feel unbalanced," said Shepherd. "Potential buyers may question whether their own furniture will fit, which can lead to hesitation. This mistake can result in longer time on the market and lower offers.

To stay ahead of this issue, choose furniture that is proportionate in scale, which Shepherd said will improve the flow and functionality of each room.

Neglecting Lighting

When potential homebuyers visit a house, they are looking for bright and airy rooms. This involves not only natural light, if available, but also artificial light from lamps and other illumination fixtures.

The issue lies in the inconsistent lighting found throughout the home, often due to dim or mismatched light bulbs.

Poor lighting gives the impression that a space feels cramped, outdated, and uninviting. In fact, potential buyers may offer as much as 1-3% less for homes that appear dark or unwelcoming. To create a more welcoming atmosphere, use consistent and warm lighting fixtures and open the curtains to let in more natural light.

Ignoring Odors

Here's one home-staging mistake that might really catch you off guard: unpleasant or weird smells, like those that can come from pets, the kitchen, or mold that hasn't been handled.

“Bad odors can evoke a strong negative emotional response, causing potential buyers to lose interest and walk away completely,” Shepherd noted. “A home with unpleasant odors can spend more time on the market and may ultimately require a price reduction of 5 to 7%.”

When staging a house, thoroughly clean the carpets and furniture, scrub all sinks and bathtubs, use fragrance-free air fresheners, and thoroughly clean up after any pets.

Overdoing It

Once you get to staging your home, you may feel extremely motivated to go all out. Keep that momentum going, but be careful not to overdo it. Going over the top with flashy decorations, fancy table settings, or overly extravagant flower arrangements is a mistake.

Over-decoration can take attention away from the real features of the house and make it feel less genuine," Shepherd said. "Buyers may view the home's presentation as artificial, which can lead to a longer home-buying process. Staging should be subtle and practical, focusing on the house's best qualities without cluttering the space.

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I'm a Real Estate Expert: 6 Home Staging Mistakes Home Sellers Make