Home Staging your property

What is home staging and how does it help sell a property?

Before we dive into the tips for preparing your home for sale, it's important to explain the concept of home staging. This concept originated in the 1970s in the United States, due to the large supply of real estate. It shows how to make a property more appealing through quick, functional, and accessible organisation and decoration. In other words, you need to take care to make sure the potential buyer has a great first impression and feels compelled to purchase. You will get to know these key steps shortly!

Cleaning, organisation, decoration, repairs, and upgrades — renovations should be carefully chosen, as not all will guarantee a return on investment. Consulting an experienced real estate agency like Engel & Völkers Portimão can help you determine which repairs are most important and valuable in the current market.

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Declutter

Once you've made the decision to sell your home, the first thing to do is declutter. Everything that's not essential? Out! There's no better way to "increase" the usable space in your home and give potential buyers the opportunity to imagine their own furniture and decor style in each room, making their decision easier.

So, take a close look at each space and see how many things are unnecessary. For example, why not remove the carpet from the living room and the two bookshelves filled with books? Sooner or later, you will need to do this. And the dining table with eight chairs? Wouldn't it be better to eat in the kitchen to make your living room appear larger and help sell your home faster?

Tips for decluttering before selling your property

• Personalise your home by packing away personal items you don’t need, like photo frames and family pictures. This helps buyers visualise the house as theirs.

• Get rid of unnecessary items, such as excessive furniture and decorations. The more free space, the more likely you are to sell your home quickly.

• Limit yourself to the essentials to create a model home impression, showing visitors just enough of the room’s purpose.

• Pack up items that won’t be needed during the process, such as out-of-season clothing, linens, books, or children's toys. Store them in the garage, attic, or a rented storage unit.

If these tips don’t work for you because you plan to sell the house furnished, ensure the furniture you intend to sell is in perfect condition, clean, and arranged in a way that highlights the true size of the space. For example, if you're selling the bookshelves in the living room, great — but you won’t sell them full of books. So, feel free to remove the books to show off the available space.

Also, highlight the best features of your home with the furniture and decorations you wish to sell. For instance, if your living room has a fireplace, position the furniture to showcase it. Neutral decor will appeal to a wider audience when selling your home.

Lastly, include in the property description a detailed list of the furniture and decor items included in the sale. This will make the home even more appealing to potential buyers.

Clean

Now that you've cleared out unnecessary furniture and items, making your home feel much larger, it’s time to clean and make each room shine. A clean and well-maintained home creates a sense of trust for visitors.

Fingerprints on the windows? Shelves full of dust? Dirty laundry on the bed? Toys scattered across the living room? No way! To sell your home, cleaning is essential.

Tips for cleaning before selling your property

Not all rooms hold the same importance. Typically, kitchens and bathrooms are used to assess cleanliness, so these areas must be sparkling (literally), ensuring buyers feel comfortable using them. This means removing any lime scale in the bathroom, cleaning the stove and fridge thoroughly, and ensuring all kitchen cupboards are well-organised (they can be opened by visitors).

Start your cleaning by tackling the ceilings first. Clean light fixtures, fans, and shelves before reaching the floors, as this avoids dust falling onto already cleaned areas.

In addition to having a spacious home, buyers are looking for properties with lots of natural light, so it’s vital that your windows are sparkling clean, inside and out. The same goes for mirrors, which, when polished, can make spaces appear larger.

The entrance hall cannot be overlooked! It’s the first area visitors see and needs to create a good first impression. In addition to being clean, ensure the hall is free of shoes, coats, umbrellas, and other personal items.

Air the house well before visitors arrive and eliminate any smells, especially if you smoke indoors or have pets. A thorough clean will usually take care of bad odours, but you can also use air fresheners (in moderation) or scented candles. It’s also a good idea to avoid cooking foods with strong smells before a viewing. Instead, why not prepare a fresh pot of coffee and bake a cake to create a pleasant atmosphere?

Organise

While you’re deep cleaning, take the time to organise each room. Organisation not only makes your home appear more spacious, but it’s crucial for creating a good first impression and attracting more buyers.

Organisation also helps highlight the best features of your home, such as quality furniture, well-maintained floors, and a fully-equipped kitchen, and makes it easier to maintain during viewings or open house days.

Tips for organising before selling your property

• Personalise your home by removing all personal items, such as photos, trophies, religious articles, sports accessories, and collections, before selling. Even your toothbrush should be hidden, as buyers prefer an impersonal, hotel-like space, rather than a home that feels lived in by another family.

• Arrange furniture in a way that maximises space and creates a natural flow through the rooms.

• Make sure your home’s temperature is comfortable and the air smells fresh — a pleasant fragrance creates a welcoming atmosphere.

• Open blinds and curtains to maximise natural light during the viewing. This small gesture can help you sell your home faster.

• Turn off the TV and radio to avoid distracting visitors. Music is fine, but only if it’s soft and unobtrusive.

• Take care of the garden, if applicable. Keep the grass trimmed, plants pruned, and the entrance tidy, as first impressions start outside your home.

Decorate

You may need to redecorate your home to make it a true model property, but do so with simplicity and minimalism in mind, following the "less is more" philosophy.

You can also use home staging to sell your home by hiring a professional interior designer to decorate neutrally yet stylishly, making your property more attractive to buyers. Staging may involve using temporary furniture and accessories to highlight each room's best features, making the space more appealing to a broader audience.

Tips for decorating before selling your property

• Opt for neutral colours, such as white, beige, or light grey, as they make spaces feel larger and more inviting.

• Choose soft, inviting textures such as velvet cushions, wool throws, or thick fabric curtains. Add natural materials like wood, stone, and fibres that connect the space to nature.

• Arrange furniture to expand the space and maintain balance and harmony in each room.

• Highlight key features of your home (such as a fireplace, high ceilings, or panoramic views) with appropriate decorative objects.

• Use elegant accessories like curtains, rugs, and artwork to add charm to your rooms.

• Invest in fresh decor details like cushions, lamps, candles, and plants to add warmth and style to your home.

• Keep decorations simple, avoiding excessive personal items like photos of your children. Visitors should be able to imagine themselves living in your home, so avoid decor that’s too personal.

• If natural light doesn’t reach all areas, add artificial lighting. Use bright bulbs and consider adding accent lamps in key areas, such as the living room or kitchen.

• If you have a balcony or garden, make sure the floors are clean and the space is well-maintained. Add plants in pots if possible to make the outdoor area more inviting.

Enhance

Regardless of your home’s age, you can make improvements that will attract attention and interest from potential buyers without spending a fortune. Small repairs and renovations in older homes can add value and help sell the property quickly, at a higher price, and with a positive financial return.

Tips for enhancing your property before selling

• Invest in a fresh coat of paint — in white or neutral tones — to eliminate stains and give your home a sense of cleanliness and brightness. But first, repair any cracks or damage on the walls before painting.

• Check if any shutters, blinds, windows, light switches, door handles, baseboards, or lamps need repair or replacement.

• Carry out necessary small repairs, such as fixing water leaks, jammed doors, cracked tiles, or broken switches.

• Replace worn-out flooring. New or recently restored flooring can make a huge difference to the overall appearance of the home.

• Ensure all essential systems in your home (plumbing, electricity, heating, and air conditioning) are in good working order.

• If the budget allows, make substantial improvements to the kitchen and bathroom, replacing countertops, cabinets, appliances, and sanitary ware. Update with modern fixtures, such as taps, showers, and mirrors.

• Consider energy-efficient upgrades, such as replacing old windows with double glazing or installing a more sustainable heating system. This not only adds value to the property but also attracts buyers looking to save on energy bills.

• Tidy up the garden, replace any fencing, and repair the garage gate, if necessary.