Prettify your property

10 ways to use accents to help your home sell

Selling a home extends far beyond property. You’re selling a space, an atmosphere, a lifestyle. With that in mind, don’t shy away from the props — that is, home staging. Attractive accessories and accents can help sellers achieve a certain look that allows buyers to envision building a life inside a house’s four walls.

Here’s the thing: You don’t have to be a professional to make your space enticing to potential buyers.

Looking for ideas? Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Determine the mood you want to create or message you want to send within your space, then incorporate appropriate lifestyle elements. For example, in a bathroom you may want a spalike mood, so you could add candles and bath salts.

Use colorful accents, but don’t go overboard — use them sparingly.

Develop a clear color scheme, ideally consisting of three colors.

Consider the end user and try to create an appealing space. A key question to ask yourself in this process is: “Who will buy this home?”

Create the look of a model home. Staging is depersonalizing but also gives the feeling that a space is lived in. In choosing your lifestyle elements, look to create the same look and feel as you would see in a model home.

Dress shelves and bookcases. Large empty shelves and empty bookcases can prove to be a visual hurdle for many potential buyers.

Don’t ignore areas such as kitchens and closets. Many potential buyers may find organized and generous storage to be a bonus.

Focus on main or key areas. Once inside a home, there are main rooms that will likely influence a potential buyer early in their walk-through experience. Make sure these rooms are visually strong.

Create an appealing point of entry. Typically buyers make a decision about a home within the first three minutes. First impressions are key.

Use decorative elements such as artwork, books and accessories to help tell a story.