When you’re selling a home in Scottsdale, your real estate agent will talk to you about home staging – and that’s something you have to do in every room. In fact, staging even extends to your garage. A properly staged garage can help you sell your home faster (and for more money). Whether you’re hiring a home stager or you’re taking a DIY approach to garage staging, here’s what you need to know.
7 Tips to Stage Your Garage for a Faster Sale
Use these seven tips to stage your garage for a faster sale:
- Clean everything
- Check for safety
- Illuminate the space
- Repaint
- Hang bicycles on the wall
- Put up artwork
- Make the most of organization tools
Here’s a closer look at each tip.
Related: Home staging tips from the pros
#1. Clean everything
Before you can even begin staging, you’ll have to clean your entire garage from top to bottom. That includes getting rid of clutter and making use of storage (more on that in Tip #7). If there are things in your garage that you haven’t used in the past year, it’s time to think about getting rid of them – or at least moving them to a storage unit that you’ll keep until you’ve moved into your next home.
#2. Check for safety
Remove dangerous chemicals from your garage, or lock them away in storage cabinets. Keeping things out is a bad idea – and it looks sloppy. While you’re checking your garage for safety, make sure there’s a smoke detector in the area and that it has fresh batteries.
#3. Illuminate the space
A lot of garages are surprisingly under-lit. Now may be the time to add a motion-activated ceiling light that doesn’t require wiring – or, if you’re up for it, you can install wired lights. However, you should talk to your real estate agent before you make any big improvements; they might not be necessary, and they might not even help you sell your home.
#4. Repaint
Add a fresh coat of paint to your garage walls. Paint can start to look tired after a while, so you want to revitalize the space to make it appear fresh and new. Opt for a light color that makes the garage appear larger and more inviting.
#5. Hang bicycles on the wall
Bicycles take up too much floor space in garages – even in large ones – so it’s a good idea to invest in a rack to hang them vertically on an unused wall. Hanging them from the ceiling is fine, but only if they won’t block access for SUVs and trucks; otherwise, stick to the wall.
#6. Put up artwork
Hang auto-themed art in your garage and put up a clock. While most people don’t accent their garages this way, buyers can imagine the garage as a sort of extended living space when it’s decorated. Make sure you stick with a theme throughout the garage, though, and make sure it’s appropriate for all the prospective buyers who tour your home.
#7. Make the most of organization tools
Stackable bins, cabinets and other organization tools are wonderful additions to any garage. Consider adding metal shelving and racks for storage, or invest in an upright cabinet to store sports gear and automotive accessories when they’re not in use.
Pro tip: You don’t want buyers to see your garage as a storage space. Instead, you want them to see it as an extension of your home that you happen to be able to park your car in. Keep it uncluttered and clean to sell your home faster (and likely for more money).
