Staging the rooms in your home for a showing

Selling a home can sometimes be a little stressful. Fortunately, you can turn up the appeal of your home by having it properly staged. The National Association of Realtors noted the importance of turning up your home selling strategy a notch by staging the rooms in your house. In fact, nearly half of polled Realtors believed staging impacted a buyer's impression of the home. 

Follow these tips to help leave the best first impression with potential homebuyers: 

Know your budget 
Hiring a professional home stager can cost around $500. If your home has been on the market for awhile, it may be time to enlist the help of an experienced home stager to enhance the appearance of your home. By hiring someone who professionally stages home, you do not have to stress about making your home appealing to potential buyers or take the time out of your busy day to completely redesign the rooms in your house. 

If you do not feel comfortable spending money on a professional home stager, consider staging the home yourself or with the help of an artistic friend or family member. 

Prepare to stage a home on your own 

Before you stage your home, take a walk around your entire property. Conduct your own home inspection and note if there are any major issues that need to be addressed and what features might appeal to buyers the most. When staging you will want to play up the positives and fix any negatives present on your property. 

One of the first things you can do after writing down observations of your home is take down any personal items and store them away, according to Bankrate. 

"The reason you want to 'de-personalize' your home is because you want buyers to view it as their potential home," Jessica Page, a real estate agent in Denver, told Bankrate.

In addition, it is crucial that you clean your home and get rid of any and all clutter. Clear out your attics, closets, garages and basements and ensure prospective buyers are not distracted b y piles of CDs, plastic bins and stored seasonal items. Also ensure you get rid of any odors that might be present in the home. If you have any pets, consider asking a friend or family member to watch them while you show your home to prospective buyers. This can keep your property fresh and clean while interested buyers tour your house. 

Home staging tips 

When staging your home, keep in mind that you want neutral colors and a simple layout that works well for the space. If you do not have neutral furniture, consider renting pieces to stage your home. Also apply a fresh coat of paint and choose colors that compliment the space and can match anyone's taste. 

While it is important to ensure the inside of a home is beautiful, clean and tasteful, you can't forget about the outside. Curb appeal is an important factor to consider when selling a home. The entrance of your home serves as the buyer's first impression, and dressing up your home's exterior can potentially drive up a buyer's interest. 

Consider cleaning your driveway and sidewalk. Also, make sure you mow your lawn and plant a few flowers and shrubs to enhance the appearance of your exterior. 

If you have children, Front Door suggested keeping their toys out of the way. Either display them neatly or store and hide them. While these can be fun during play time, they can make a room look cluttered and small.