Maximise your property’s value with these styling tips

A styled house can attract more potential buyers or renters and add value to your property
Discover eight ways to style your home for success, from clearing clutter to rearranging furniture and improving street appeal
Expert tips on how to ease stress and streamline the process of selling or leasing

Staging properties for sale is becoming more popular, thanks to a track record of enticing more buyers and a premium price. “I think it’s vital,” says Daniel Cachia, partner at Sydney’s PPD Real Estate. “Presentation sells homes. A styled house attracts more potential buyers and an increase in value up to 12 per cent.”

You want to let people imagine themselves living in a home – cluttered rooms, impractical furniture and interiors that reflect a specific personal style are stumbling blocks to achieving that. “If buyers can’t picture themselves in a home, they don’t connect with it,” he says.

Adds Lois Buckett, founder of Lois Buckett Real Estate in Lennox Head on the NSW North Coast: “Watching property TV shows has made buyers savvier and more critical and they use negative feedback to negotiate on price.”

Rentals are usually leased unfurnished, says Justine Wilson, founder of Vault Interiors in Sydney, “Styling a holiday home or rental property will add value and help you stand out.” Whether you’re selling or leasing, follow these expert tips to brush up your presentation skills.

8 ways to style your home for success

1. Clear the clutter

Think “less is more” if you want to show your home at its best. “At the very least it should be neat, tidy and relatable so a declutter is top of the to-do list,” says Cachia. Start with shelves, paperwork and any messy “overspill” areas. Culling decorative items also makes a home feel more streamlined. Cachia’s top tip? “Free up as much floor space as you can.”

2. Depersonalise your home

A wedding photo may spark joy for you but this Marie Kondo litmus test is out the door when selling a home. “Removing photos, along with your snow-globe collection, kid’s names on doors and the dog’s bed is a basic requirement,” says Wilson. “Seeing personal property makes people feel like visitors in the home.” Ideally, anything stopping people from falling in love with your home (and paying a premium) is taken out of the equation.

3. Clean up

Whether you’re leasing or selling, Wilson suggests investing in a deep clean. “It’s important to have a fresh, neat home. Steam clean rugs, carpets and any grubby furniture and consider repolishing floorboards and cleaning grout if you need to and have the budget.” Remove odours by airing your home and resolving any damp issues.

4. Focus on furniture

Your favourite armchairs are comfortable but do they make the space feel small and impractical? One reason professionals rearrange or replace furniture is to improve space and flow.

“It’s about how 30 people can easily walk through the room and what gives the impression of a functional space,” says Wilson. “People generally need to reduce the furniture they have. When we do a ‘partial style’ we talk to vendors about taking furniture away and storing it to make the room less crowded. Typically, they leave things that make the home work for them, such as the extra dresser, bookshelf or desk in a bedroom, but these only clutter the space and tell buyers there’s not enough storage in the home.”

A photo of a white lounge with cushions with a kitchen in the background.

5. Let there be light

“Lots of people buy a house based on light levels and how it makes them feel so you need to increase both natural and artificial light,” says Wilson. “Open blinds, curtains and windows, bring in lamps, make sure all light bulbs work and add mirrors to bounce light around a room.” Soft-hued furniture, sofas and rugs create a brighter interior so consider swapping these out or adding pale cushions to a dark sofa for a quick fix.

6. Press refresh

If sugar soap won’t do the trick, a pristine coat of paint could be the “ta-da” you need. “Paint can transform the look of a home, inside and out,” says Cachia. “The painting required depends on the condition of the property – it might need a bigger cosmetic renovation or just a touch up in some areas. It’s important to eliminate issues that might become a question for the buyer. Peeling paint on the ceiling, for example, might just be old but buyers get sceptical when they spot something on the roof that looks like it could be a leak or damp, even if it’s not.”

7. Improve street appeal

An attractive exterior and garden means more people visiting. “We manage holiday rentals so use professional cleaners and landscapers but there’s so much you can do yourself,” says Buckett. “Pressure-blasting hard surfaces, mowing the lawn, creating neat edges and generally tidying up makes a big difference. A couple of beautiful large plants in pots at the front door looks inviting and lifts a lacklustre entrance.”

8. Shift into neutral

Generally, pared-back and less esoteric décor appeals to a larger pool of buyers. “Neutral finishes on walls, floors and key furniture pieces make things look light, simple and have wide appeal,” says Wilson. “Consider repainting a bright feature wall white, beige or grey. Add colour and texture through accessories and art but avoid a very particular style as it may not be to the potential buyer’s taste. Leave some character but swap or remove anything that’s too taste specific.”

Simplifying an overly personal bedroom doesn’t need to be costly: “Keep it as neutral as possible, with two matching bedside tables, a crisp white doona cover and stylish cushions,” says Cachia.

Avoid showing an empty house
If you’re selling, a property is best shown furnished. “The presentation sells hopes and dreams. When a buyer enters a vacant property, it’s echoey and soulless, they can’t easily see how a king-sized bed will fit or how the spaces work,” says Cachia.

A photo of a bed and a nightstand with a plant.

How to simplify the process and ease stress

Make a plan

“People hugely underestimate the time it takes to prepare a house for sale – to the point that it can stop them from progressing. They either don’t have the tradespeople or get overwhelmed and don’t know where to start,” says Cachia. “Preparation is key and a good enough agent can help manage this and have tradies on hand.”

Make the process of buying and selling simpler with Home-in, a digital concierge that connects you with lenders, pest inspectors and vetted conveyancers that will handle your settlement with care and expertise. Plus, get real-time alerts and activity tracking to help you settle on time.

Sell stuff you own

Turn your household clutter into cash by listing it on sites like Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. Remember to be wary of scammers and don’t give out your personal details. To learn more about buying and selling scams, visit the CommBank Safe website.

Call in the pros

“The goal of professional styling is to maximise your property’s potential value,” says Wilson, adding that the benefits begin with the quality of images in the listing. “A stylist knows how to help buyers visualise the function and layout of the home and target the right demographic. And designer furniture raises perceived value as it’s aspirational.”

If you’re willing to pay, a professional saves time and stress. The choice is a complete or partial style, which means using what’s there plus removing and swapping out furniture and décor items. Stylists will often arrange removal and storage.

The cost will depend on the size of your home but Wilson says the average cost is $3000 to $6000 for an eight-week hiring period. A really big home is closer to $10,000. There are often “pay later” options available, including post-settlement.

Visit commbank.com.au/home-loans/home-in-app for more information on how Home-in can help make the buying and selling process simpler.

How to maximise your property’s value with styling