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Staging your home before you put it on themarketcan be a very profitable move.

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So, you should definitely stage your home if youre selling it, but be careful.

you’re free to easily mess the whole thing up and actually lose money.

Over-Personalizing the Space

This is your home and perhaps has been for many years.

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But, ideally, it wont be your home for long.

Once you go into the mode of selling your home, you gotta shift into neutral.

And that means depersonalizing your space.

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Not doing so is a big mistake.

Buyers struggle to imagine the home as their own, which can reduce emotional connection and lower offers.

Use neutral tones, remove personal items and create a blank canvas for potential buyers, Shepherd added.

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Homes withpoor curb appealcan take 7%-10% longer to sell or require price reductions.

Using Incorrectly Sized Furniture

Dont run into a Goldilocks problem.

This means not only natural light, if available, but also light provided by lamps and other fixtures.

Relying on dim lighting or mismatched bulbs throughout the home is a problem, Shepherd said.

Poor lighting makes spaces feel smaller, older and less inviting.

Buyers often offer 1%-3% less for homes that feel dark or unwelcoming.

Useconsistent, warm lightingwith modern fixtures and open blinds to maximize natural light.

Bad odors create anegative emotional reaction, often leading to buyers walking away entirely, Shepherd said.

A stinky home can take longer to sell and may require a price drop of 5%-7%.

Definitely keep that momentum, but dont over-stage your home.

Going over the top with flashy decor,luxury place settingsor gaudy floral arrangements is a mistake.

Over-staging can distract buyers from the homes actual features and make it feel less authentic, Shepherd said.

Buyers may find the homes presentation inauthentic, prolonging the sale process.

Keep staging simple and functional, highlighting the homes best features without overwhelming the space.

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