As we head into the new year, it’s a time to think ahead and focus on maximizing the appeal of every property going forward. What are home buyers looking for in 2025?
The key is to make each property attractive to as many potential buyers as possible, and when families come in all shapes and sizes, that’s no mean feat these days. A two-bedroom townhouse could be the perfect home for a family with kids, but equally, it may also appeal to a single professional looking for space that would work as a home office. How do you stage a property so that each of these prospective purchasers will decide it’s exactly what they’re looking for?
This is where the talents of a home stager truly come into play. Many people can create a beautiful home, a stylish abode that has the wow factor, but only the best home stagers can set a scene that is eye-catching yet neutral so that everyone who views it can imagine their own unique lives in that space.
So let us look at some ideas for ensuring every property you stage will draw in and captivate a wide range of viewers, securing the highest possible sale price for the vendors and a speedy transaction for all.
In 2025, it’s important to focus on those features that will appeal to everyone…
Lure them in with a spotless exterior
So many people tell me that when they’re looking for a new property, they drive past, and in one quick glance, decide whether or not to book a viewing. The property might be an exquisite palace inside, but if the outside looks shabby, you’re losing a whole host of viewers before they’ve even set one foot inside.
So get the hedges trimmed and the fences repainted. Ensure there are no weeds, and if the entrance looks plain and dull, consider a few potted plants and a neat doormat to add a little interest. Is the door in good condition? Make sure it’s clean, and if necessary, repaint it. Perhaps the door furniture could also use a refresh? Small details such as a shiny new house number can really make a difference. And don’t forget the garden gate, that’s the first interaction a viewer will have with the home. If it’s hanging off its hinges and opens with a loud squeak, it’s not a great first impression!
Give each room a purpose
In real life, we use our rooms for various purposes. A small family may repurpose a bedroom as a craft room or a gym, a single person working from home may turn a room into a spacious home office. But when it comes to home staging, it’s better to showcase the rooms with a clear purpose that will appeal to the majority of buyers. When there is a bed in each bedroom, large families can easily see that each room perfectly fits a bed and so it will work for their circumstances. It’s far easier for the professional looking for a home office to imagine a desk in a bedroom than it is to picture a large bed in a room that has been staged as an office. Likewise, the dining room. Don’t leave it up to the family to decide whether or not the room is sufficiently sized to accommodate a dining table and chairs, instead, you can show them. It’s easy then to see that if the room can comfortably fit a large dining table, then it’s going to be fine for whatever other purpose they may have in mind for the space.
Opt for neutral shades with warm accents
You need to find the perfect point with your décor that is neutral enough so that everyone can mentally project their own style on the property, the proverbial ‘blank slate’, yet has enough color and a little personality to ensure the house looks homely and welcoming. You want the viewers to remember the house, so you need to go further with your staging efforts than creating a bland beige box.
Warm tones are the hot trend for 2025, so while neutral tones are great for more permanent features such as walls and carpets, warmer accent colors for scatter cushions, rugs, and artwork will work well. Think muted mustard, earthy terracotta, or natural sage green.
Spaces for work, and a place for pleasure
While we’ve already mentioned that all the rooms should be clearly defined as to their function, it’s also important to show that the property can easily adapt to different circumstances. In 2025, it’s quite usual for many of us to work from home at times, and so providing an area that can comfortably accommodate a desk and chair is a huge plus point nowadays. This can be a great way of demonstrating functionality in a dead space such as a large hallway or a void under the stairs. And when the working day is done, many people love to relax and entertain friends or family. With the rising cost of living, staying in is the new going out, so ensure your property is appealing from this perspective. Placing glasses and a Champagne bottle on the dining table or kitchen bar worktop instantly lets buyers know that this is the perfect spot to enjoy free time with guests. Don’t forget the outside spaces too, garden furniture should be clean and smartly arranged so viewers can instantly imagine a fun gathering on a cool summer’s evening.
Ensure only fresh aromas fill the property
If there’s one thing that’s hard to overcome when viewing a property, it’s a bad smell. Homes do gather aromas, and when we live in them, we become ‘nose-blind’ to these odors. As a home stager, it can be tough telling a homeowner that their property smells strongly of their dogs, that cooking smells are lingering or there’s a damp aroma in a poorly ventilated bathroom. That’s where your tact and interpersonal skills must come into play because sometimes you need to work on the root of the problem. Can the dogs go into kennels for a few days, so the carpets can have a deep clean before the viewings? Can the residents hold back on cooking the spicy curries that are leaving that enduring smell?
Homes that are empty can also begin to smell musty quite quickly, and that is one smell you need to eliminate. A musty odor instantly makes a property feel old and neglected.
So how do we combat unpleasant aromas?
Fresh air can work miracles, so get the windows open. A dehumidifier can help alleviate dampness and its associated odors, and clever use of air freshening products can swap unpleasant smells for more desirable aromas. Another top tip is to launder the bedding, throws, and scatter cushions with strong scented products. The smell of fresh linen is always comforting and homely and gives the impression of cleanliness, which is of course going to be attractive to anyone looking to buy a property.
