Property Staging Tips: How to Make Your Unit Look Better
Staging a rental property is an important part of prepping the unit for tenants. The amount of time and money you need to put into staging will depend on whether you’re renting the unit out with or without furniture. If you’re renting an unfurnished space, then you might have to invest a bit more to get the staging done and bring in furniture that can help potential tenants visualize the place as their home.
However, if you’re planning on including furniture into the monthly rent, then you have to make sure the items you choose are neutral and suitable for different types of tenants. Here are a few tips to help you stage the property and make it look better before the showing.
#1 De-personalize the space
For starters, your main objective when staging a property should be to de-personalize the space as much as possible. By doing so, you will allow potential tenants to visualize the space as their own instead of being influenced by the style and design of your choice. While the unit needs to have style and a charm of its own, make sure to remove any personal touches that could put the tenants off at the first showing.
#2 Get rid of clutter
One thing people definitely don’t want to see when looking at properties that could potentially become their home is clutter. Your job is to remove any and all clutter in the space and leave just the basics. Take inspiration from minimalist home decor styles and make sure there are no random objects sitting around that don’t belong to the space. Remove anything that doesn’t match the current season, including random items used on a daily basis.
#3 Clean like you’ve never cleaned before
This one goes without saying but I should remind you anyway - you need to clean the property like you’ve never cleaned it before. Make sure every visible surface is wiped clean and that there is no dust on shelves, tabletops, and other items. A clean property will suggest to tenants that the previous owners or tenants took good care of it, which is a positive sign. Therefore, make sure everything is spotless and squeaky clean.
#4 Patch and repair
This stage will be the last shot you’ll get at fixing the tiny scratches, holes, or other imperfections that may put the tenants off. Look for areas that could use some TLC and make sure to fix everything up properly. Don’t just put lipstick on the pig and try to make things look unnoticeable. Put effort into actually solving the issues instead of hiding them, as they will most definitely surface later one way or another.
#5 Go Neutral
Last but not least, make sure to use neutral colors when staging the property. This goes hand in hand with de-personalizing the space but it might require a bit more time and effort. If you haven’t already, make sure to use only neutral colors such as gray, white, and taupe. This goes for walls, carpets, curtains, and any decorative objects as well. Neutral colors will allow potential tenants to focus on the important assets of the space instead of being distracted by bright yellow walls or orange decor.