Home staging for house flipping

House “flipping” is a quick term we use when we describe residential redevelopment. In the real estate industry, this entails purchasing a revenue-generating asset, like a house, and quickly reselling (or “flipping”) it for profit after certain improvements were applied. These houses are usually distressed or abandoned properties that may have been sold for lesser than the intended price point. With a little investment on its renovation and staging, a flipped house can earn you thousands more! Here are a few tips and tricks on home staging for house flipping to guide you along the way:

1. Accentuate Strengths
A potential buyer’s first impression is crucial when selling a flipped house. The property should have been redeveloped enough to entice a client to place a higher bid. Appearance is everything when staging a house. The goal is to highlight the “strengths” of the property while trying to distract them from the “weaknesses” of the house, if there are any. Emphasize architectural details. A house’s personality makes up its charm. For example, a wasted space under the stairwell may make for a fabulous reading nook, and this can be a great selling turn-point of the house.

2. Arrange the furniture

Play up a lifestyle. If you want your buyers to feel right at home, trigger their imagination and create a set-up that may well excite them to buy the property. How you arrange the furniture around will make any room feel spacious or congested. Most clients buy the house with space as a major consideration. If the house comes with smaller rooms, push the furniture towards the walls to create an impression of a larger center space. If the house has larger rooms, try setting up the furniture in the center of the room to emphasize that there is plenty of space to walk around yet the room is cozy and encouraging enough for good conversations. The key is to create a spacious-looking room with furniture arranged in specific ways so people will know which way traffic is supposed to move around the room without skinning their knees and bumping their ankles along the way.

3. Embrace Floor Space

Buyers look for the most square footage yet a well-staged cottage can sell faster than a mansion if it made the most out of its floor area. Play up every inch of the floor space! Choose furniture with legs to create a sense of “lightness”. Don’t go overboard with knickknacks on tables and counters to maximize surface space. Hang mirrors to reflect light from windows and room openings to make the room appear bigger. Use vertical space for storage. Hang your shelves instead of using bulky cabinetry. Create a distant focal point by hanging a plant at the top of the stairs or a beautiful pendant light at the end of the hallway.

4. Accessorize
You don’t need to spend too much on accessories but they do create a big impact in a room too. Trinkets and charms give a room warmth and comfort. Small details, like a fruit bowl in a kitchen counter, can make the buyer’s imagination run wild with what else they can do with the space. For example, suggest a home office space from an empty room by adding a nice office chair, work desk and some well-arrange files. The goal is to suggest by presenting possible uses for the room instead of just presenting a bare and lifeless space.

5. Don’t forget Ambiance
Ambiance is what connects the buyers to the house from the moment they step into the room. One way to entice them into claiming the space is if we address all five senses when staging the room:

• Sight- Use warm lights to flatter certain focal points the room. These also work best to brighten dark corners without being overbearing. Canned lighting, floor and table lamps, hanging pendant lights and under-counter spot lights create playful shadows that add charm to any room.
• Smell- Light scented candles to welcome your guests. You can also use aromatherapy diffusers for that subtle, pleasant smell throughout the house. Citrus, vanilla and lavender are popular choices. Even the smell of freshly baked cookies can do wonders in the mood around the house. Make sure that the smell is just subtle and also not too irritating.
• Touch- Include textured throw pillows when accessorizing the living room or the bedroom. Invite your guests to touch and feel the varied textiles you used to promote their personal connection to the space.
• Sound- Hang wind chimes or install a water-feature to relax the ears when touring around the house
• Taste-remember those sweet-smelling cookies? Invite your guests to grab a bite too! It never hurts to offer some treats and candies. Also be sure to offer chilled bottled water afterwards. These tiny gestures will help associate your space as a sweet house of warmth and hospitality in the minds of these potential buyers!

Home staging can do wonders when selling a flipped house. Keep all of these in mind when making an investment on its renovation and you’ll surely be selling and earning in no time!

https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/05/18/home-staging-101-house-flippers/

https://www.zillow.com/blog/expert-home-staging-tips-219625/