Guest Blogger: Staging your Bathroom for a Quick Sell

Guest Blog #144, Entry #615, August 11, 2011

When preparing your home for selling, the major rooms of the house are usually considered first, the kitchen, master bedroom and living areas. Often times the bathroom is forgotten, and bathrooms are a major selling point to many homebuyers.

Make your bathroom appealing to homebuyers

Photo image courtesy of Bhouse

Today, our Guest Blogger gives valuable tips for staging your bathroom to appeal to homebuyers and in turn lead to a quicker home sale.

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When selling the home bathrooms are one of the main selling points. A bathroom which is dirty, old fashioned or falling in to disrepair could delay selling time of the house and reduce the value. Bathrooms are necessary for everyday life, even more so than a bedroom, which is why they need to be in usable condition for viewers. If the viewer feels they wouldn’t be content using the bathroom in its current condition they’re highly unlikely to buy the house. Obviously, houses being sold for renovation projects are an exception to this rule.

Maintaining your bathroom and tailoring the design to suit a wide audience can help its selling qualities.

Bring in light and ventilation whenever possible

Photo image courtesy of Interior Design Ideas

Ventilate

Continually ventilate the bathroom whilst your home is on the market. Mold and mildew breed at incredible rates and ruin the appearance of any bathroom. Turn the fan on when in the shower and have the window open whilst showering, until every drop of steam has disappeared. This will reduce the likelihood of unsightly mold ruining your bathroom before a viewing.

Modernize

Neutralize your bathroom so it’s modern and easy on the eye. Old-fashioned bathrooms can be off-putting to potential buyers. If your bathroom suite looks like it belongs in an era gone by you should replace it with a cheap bathroom suite which is more modern. Likewise, wacky patterns and colors may not appeal to everyone’s taste and can create the illusion that the bathroom’s smaller than it really is.

Replace carpets with a floor covering which is easy to clean and dry, and more importantly designed for bathrooms. Vinyl flooring and tiles are both ideal for bathrooms and are designed to handle moisture. Carpets can harbor bad smells and can be hard to maintain, especially between frequent viewings. Choose floor covering which is neutral in color to appeal to the majority of viewers. Similarly, ensure other fabrics such as towels and bathmats are clean and dry prior to a viewing. It may be worth having a set of towels which are solely for display purposes.

Bathroom home staging

Photo image courtesy of Home Furniture Decoration

Maintain

Check your radiators are in good working order. Many knowledgeable buyers will enquire about heating, particularly in the colder months. If the radiator isn’t heating evenly it may need bleeding which can be done with a hint of DIY enthusiasm and a radiator key. Ensure all heating is in good working order to avoid embarrassment. If your heat outlets are somewhat old-fashioned it may be worth buying a more efficient designer radiator to create a more modern bathroom.

Test your bathroom and kitchen taps. Check that the water pressure in your home is acceptable as low pressure can be off-putting to potential buyers. Check for leaks in your toilet and taps too on a regular basis so viewers know your bathroom has been cared for properly.

Regular maintenance and bathroom TLC is always important, but even more so when attempting to sell the home. A well maintained bathroom will impress viewers and increase the chances of your home being sold, especially when accompanied by an equally impressive house.

Written by Stephanie Staszko on behalf of Branded Bathrooms and Designo Radiators

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.