When selling your house, you should recognize the influence appearances can have on potential buyers. Though you may wish the value of your home could be expressed without serious alterations, staging your home for open houses and walk-throughs is a smart way to promote positive impressions and increases a visitor’s likelihood of committing. Declutter Potential buyers will know that the house has been lived in, but taking the time to declutter so that the rooms are as spacious and clean as possible will significantly improve the appearance. If you have children, be sure to put away any toys and other precarious items. Cleaning is, of course, crucial, as well. Leaving cobwebs, dust, and dirt in sight is a sure way to discourage visitors from wanting to buy. Another thing to keep in mind is the potential impact of personal items; things like family photographs and religious memorabilia can draw on buyers’ unintentional biases and also affect their ability to imagine themselves living in your home. Increase Light Bright, well-lit rooms are a favorite feature, so pulling back curtains, replacing light bulbs, and even purchasing new light fixtures can improve the perception of your home. You also can toy with the temperature and harshness of your light to create the desired mood. Prioritize Rooms Staging your home doesn’t have to break the bank, but if you aim to improve the appearance of every space in your house, you might find yourself at a financial disadvantage. Kitchens, bathrooms, and master bedrooms and likely the most deserving of your efforts as these rooms can impact a buyer’s decision. You can also consider staging rooms with odd shapes, little natural light, or unconventional fixtures. Focusing on these areas will allow you to demonstrate how a buyer could use the room appropriately in spite of the disadvantageous features. Remove & Rent Furniture Space proves to be a significant influence when it comes to buying a house. To appeal to potential buyers, you should expect to remove up to half the furniture you currently have and move it to a storage location. By doing so, your home will appear more spacious, and though the absence of your usual features may disorient you, it is important to remember that appealing to buyers is the surest way to close a sale. If you feel your furniture isn’t appealing enough, you can rent furniture from professional home stagers or local furniture stores. Renting furniture for the entire time your home is for sale may not fit within your budget, but you may at least rent furniture for marketing pictures online. This article was originally published at RobertHagaman.net