Garage-Staging Tips When Selling Your Home

Garage-Staging Tips When Selling Your Home  

Thirty-two percent of home buyers say that the garage is one of the most important rooms in the house, according to a realtor.com(r)  survey.  That actually may come as surprising news to many home sellers, who may not keep up their garage’s appearance the way they would a kitchen or a rec room. In fact, garages have been trending toward more of a storage room than a car shed in recent years, but you can still wow your potential buyers with a thoughtful home staging.  

Here are just a few hacks to make that happen:  

Park your car somewhere else.  

Even if your car is top gear -- or maybe even especially if it’s top gear -- it’s going to distract home buyers from seeing the garage as a room. Keep your car out of the garage during showings, and show your potential buyers the storage-space opportunities your garage can offer them.  

Keep your driveway clear of cars and oil stains.  

The same goes for the outside as well as the inside: keep your car on the street or around the corner when showing your house. If there are oil stains -- ugh -- take them away with some simple baking soda and a garden hose. You can also use a degreaser or engine cleaner (be sure to follow the manufacturer’s directions!).  The goal is to show a driveway that a potential home buyer would love, without the distractions.  

Declutter.  

Now is the time to throw things overboard. Once again, anything distracting from the space and storage advantages of the garage may work against your home showing. Try renting a storage space to place your stuff during your home showings, and free up as much garage space as possible. Your potential home buyers should only be looking at the room and nothing else.  

Get organized.  

Once you get rid of the clutter, you’re sure to have items left that can’t be moved, such as tools, plungers, lawnmowers and other necessities. No problem, as long as you have them organized and easy to find. Most home buyers may understand and appreciate a garage with a low but very organized inventory.  

Sweep and wash the garage floor  

In the heat and drama of selling your house, the condition of your garage floor may be low on the priority list. However, a freshly swept and scrubbed garage floor could really impress potential buyers. Try renting a power washer so that the floor gleams. It could make a real aesthetic difference.  

Paint the walls.  

You may not realize that your garage walls could show a lot of stains and dirt, especially if the room’s natural light is unforgiving. A fresh coat of paint may give the garage a new attitude, and hide all the negatives. It may make the room look cleaner, newer and more appealing.  

Bottom line:  

Staging a garage may not be the first thing you think of when showing your house to potential home buyers, but taking that extra step can actually make a difference in influencing those “on the fence” about your property.