Ways to Increase Your Home’s “Screen Appeal”

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With many home showings taking place online during COVID-19, it’s important to make your listing stand out “on screen.” Spend some time researching and staging your home to maximize your space and give it a neutral palette to appeal to the most prospective buyers. With stay-at-home ordinances and social distancing guidelines in place, video tours and photos are being relied on more than in-person tours so you want to make sure your home looks as good on screen as it does off.

Stage Your Space

The first step in any home staging is to remove the clutter. Put away the kids’ and pets’ toys, store or recycle magazines, and box up your pictures, refrigerator magnets and mementos for now. The less stuff on display, the more neutral your home will look and the more buyers will be able to see themselves living there. Next, consider the layout. You may have your furniture just the way you like it, but it may not be the best placement to make the most of your space on screen. Be sure to have a clear pathway between furniture pieces so your able to video. Finally, clean and dust all surfaces in sight, replace light bulbs, and open the blinds before filming so you have as much light as possible. Even beautiful spaces won’t look good if there’s not enough light.

Take Test Photos

Take some test photos before enlisting the aid of a photographer. You want your home to look its best. See how your current setup translates on screen. A photographer will take photos of the things that are there. If your home looks too cluttered or dark and dinghy, make sure you make changes before going “live” with your photos.

Do a Practice Walk-Through

If you plan on giving a video tour, and I highly suggest it, be sure to do a practice walk-through. Enlist the aid of your REALTOR® or a friend. When you do a video tour, potential buyers are only going to see what you show them. You want to make sure your highlighting your home’s best features. And don’t forget to keep the walkways clear!

Consider Virtual Staging for Empty Homes

If your home is empty, you have a few options. You can leave it empty, but remember staged homes sell faster. You can purchase furniture, a few key pieces to show the scale of a room. Or you can stage it virtually! Virtual staging digitally adds furnishings to your space. This will make your home look more natural and help to showcase the best parts of your home. There are online services and apps that make virtual staging easy.

Although people continue to buy and sell homes amid COVID-19, and you have already put a lot of thought into enhancing curb appeal, it may be time to turn inwards and up the “screen appeal.” In today’s challenging world, it may be what helps you find the buyer for your home. Contact me for additional ways on making your home look great online and off.

Published by Angela Barrett, Realtor ExitREC

Angela Barrett, "A Different Kind of Real Estate" Angela Barrett is a local REALTOR® in Lexington, SC. Every day, she has the privilege of working with Buyers and Sellers around and on Lake Murray - Lexington, Gilbert, Chapin, and Irmo. It is her goal to help every buyer find the perfect home, and every seller sell at the best price possible. Exit Real Estate Consultants opened its doors in 2008 and has been the local expert since. Angela says, "she works with a wonderful group at EXIT and is proud to be a REALTOR® for a company that prides itself on being a "family helping families." What makes Angela different from other Realtors is her desire to combine a love of real estate with the truth. She may not always tell you what you want to hear but will ALWAYS tell you what you need to hear. Before getting into the real estate industry, she owned her own court reporting business for 14 years. She decided to change careers because it was her desire to help others with their housing needs in a way that was honest and truthful, a way that put their needs ahead of the sale. Her business is built on Dedication, Communication, Determination & Trust while embodying the ability to cater and adapt to all of her client's Real Estate needs. She says the best part of her business is the people she meets and the ability to assist them throughout the process. Her goal is not only finding the hidden gem or selling at the right price but giving her clients peace of mind that they will work together through every detail. Angela showcases her homes on her website and utilizes professional service providers to assist with her clients' buying and selling needs, including tips for staging and recommendations for painters, designers, handymen, and inspectors. She is communicative, thorough, and detail-oriented, and she'll be with you every step of the way! Angela made Lexington home 28 years ago. She is knowledgeable about the area and feels blessed to call Lexington her home. Angela enjoys showing her clients around “Miss Murray”, the Jewel of South Carolina, and when she’s not helping someone with their real estate needs, she enjoys going to the gym, running, spending time on Lake Murray, and a little photography. Looking to buy or sell a home in the Lake Murray area? Call Angela Barrett, who not only represents “A Different Kind of Real Estate" but also a different kind of REALTOR®.

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