A well-staged home sells faster than an empty property, but knowing what to keep and what to discard can be a challenge. This is especially true when it comes to selling a vacation cabin—you want it to look inviting and comforting, but you don’t want to put too much of a personal stamp on things. Review our list of tips and must-haves as you prepare to stage your cabin for sale.
Outside
Beautify. Give your cabin the face lift it’s long needed. Swap out your current front door for something bright and fresh. If that doesn’t quite fit the style of your cabin, go for something more rustic that features wrought iron or ornate wood designs.
Landscape. Good landscaping can add up to 28 percent to the overall value of your house, landscape economist John Harris told HouseLogic. For a cabin retreat, keep the options simple and low-maintenance. Opt for dark-colored wood chips or large river rocks and consider planting a pair of pine trees. Research indigenous plant life and incorporate it into your yard. Create an intricate stone walkway to guide guests from the curb to the front door.
Inside
Declutter and clean. Time to pack up all the family keepsakes and photos. Homebuyers like to see a clean slate when walking into a home, so keep everything off the counters and minimize your wall decor. Keep drawers and closets organized to give home seekers an idea of how they could organize their own items. And while you can likely deep clean the inside well enough, you may want to have a professional cleaner come out and power wash your windows.
Rearrange the furniture. You want to make the most of your space, so get rid of (or store) any chunky or awkward pieces of furniture. Stick to the basics like a couch, a dining table and a media center. Do this throughout each space in your home. Homebuyers want to get an idea of how they can decorate the space, but they also need to get an idea of how much room they’re working with.
Simplify. Go with a neutral color scheme. If you’re sporting green walls in one room and a rich, Christmas red in another, consider painting the entire house a nice neutral cream or taupe. Likewise for the carpet, especially if it’s stained or weathered. Take down any heavy, styled curtains and replace them with functional, low-impact blinds.
Upgrades and Conveniences
Windows. Homebuyers are looking for places that require little to no updates. If your cabin has old, drafty windows, consider replacing them. Weather-resistant and eco-friendly windows are a huge selling point for buyers, especially in climates with harsher winters.
Lighting fixtures. Updated lighting fixtures gives a home a fresh, modern aesthetic. Swap out the old for something new and neutral to give your home a clean, streamlined look. A rustic chandelier in the dining roomwill wow potential buyers. Update the lighting in the bathrooms as well, and consider adding ceiling fans in the living and master rooms.
