Similar to selling a home, staging a rental property makes it look more attractive to potential tenants. Many people lack the ability to envision their own belongings in an empty home. When you stage the empty rooms, you showcase the home’s strengths and help interested parties to see what life would be like living in the house.
Renter’s needs are more varied these days, so your home staging needs to be just as dynamic. Get it right, and you can attract higher quality tenants and command a higher rental rate.
Try these ideas when staging your rental home and show interested applicants the home’s full potential.
Create an Identity for Each Room
Upon walking into a room, it should be immediately apparent what it’s used for. You can do this by including all of the furniture that you would expect to find in the room. Don’t try to save money by only having a sofa in the living room or placing a table in the room that’s supposed to be the office.
Add Ambiance
It isn’t enough to have the appropriate furniture. You also need to create an aesthetic or ambiance. You can do this by placing decorative items. Hang pictures or art on the walls. Place decorative items on the bookshelves, tables, and kitchen counter.
This is not the time to get creative with the decor. You want to choose pieces that are neutral for a universal appeal. This means leaving the more extreme design statements out.
Make It Smell Like Home
Smell has a powerful effect on people. You want to create a scent in the home that people associate with home. This can be tough since everyone has their own definition of what that smell is.
While you could try burning a fresh-baked cookie candle, it’s safe to go with a more subtle smell. You could try vanilla, lavender, citrus, or fresh, clean cotton.
Add Plenty of Light
Could your rental home use some help in the lighting department? Then why not use your staging to add the necessary light? Include plenty of lamps for ambient light in each room. Turn them all on when you show the property.
Keep the light bright but soft. You don’t want to have harsh light that gives the home an impersonal or clinical feel. The light should be a similar temperature of daylight and indirect so that it creates a gentle wash of light.
Make the Rooms Feel Active
Add small touches that bring life to the rooms for a lived-in feel. Turn the TV on in the living room and bedrooms. Mute the volume and have a generic scene playing. Many modern TVs have a screensaver that’s perfect for this.
Set the dining room table with glassware, plates, silverware, and napkins. It should look like dinner will be served at any moment. Place a pot or pan on the stove as if someone is about to cook dinner.
Hang a shower curtain in the bathroom. Place towels on the rack as if someone may shower later. Add a scented candle for a fresh and clean feel.
The Professionals Can Help Staging Your Rental Property
Staging a rental property well takes practice. Working with a property manager can give you a competitive edge. They have the experience to know what looks beautiful in a room and what features a tenant looks for in a potential home.
An established property manager will also have connections with local professional stagers. This makes the process more streamlined.
Contact our skilled team today and let us help you prepare your rental home for interested renters.
