This Decor Could Be Hurting Your Home Value

When you're trying to sell your home, presentation is everything. How you choose to show off your home affects the way potential buyers perceive it, so it plays a key role in whether you'll be able to sell it for all its worth – or make a sale at all. In fact, effective staging with carefully chosen and arranged furniture and decor may increase your home's sale price by up to 13% compared to skipping staging. On the other hand, making the wrong interior design choices for your home's staging could negatively impact the final selling price. A common feature that could wreck your home's value is highly personalized or over-the-top decor that might distract potential buyers – or even make them feel uncomfortable — directly impacting your sale price.

One of the most common and damaging examples is mounted deer heads or other hunting trophies. While these items may reflect your personal hobbies or passions, many buyers could find them off-putting or intimidating. A wall full of antlers can instantly make a space feel niche rather than inviting, turning potential buyers away before they even consider your property.

Even smaller personal touches, like collectible figurines or quirky vacation art, can have a similar effect. After all, you should be decorating the space to appeal to potential buyers, not show off your personal taste. The goal is to create a welcoming ambiance and present a space buyers can see themselves living in, and unrelatable decor certainly isn't going to get you there.

Ditch personalized decor for increased home value

Just because a certain kind of decor can drag down your home value doesn't mean you shouldn't decorate at all. You just need to make sure to choose crowd-pleasing pieces that elevate the space without overpowering it. Mounted deer heads, hunting trophies, and other bold, personal displays are one of the fastest ways to turn buyers off, making it hard for them to imagine living in the home. A good rule of thumb is to choose natural decor pieces in neutral shades of white, beige, or grey that feel classic and go with everything. For example, the Scandinavian decor trend can boost your home value because it feels organic and unassuming.

Apply the same decor principles to the outside of your home as well, making sure you don't have any specialized structures or overly themed areas in your yard. Your home's exterior dictates the buyers' expectations for the rest of your house, so you don't want them greeted by outdoor hunting trophies or themed displays that might feel unwelcoming. Items like built-in trampolines, yard art, or any trophy-style patio decorations are better off removed. Instead of prioritizing personal decor here, focus on having a manicured lawn, well-cared-for plants, and freshly painted surfaces to ensure a great first impression and boost your home's value.

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