Should You Decorate Your Home Basement? Yes! Read Here To Find Out Why a Staged Basement Can Help Your Home Sell Faster (And For More Money!)

finished-basement-stagingMany homeowners ponder whether or not their home is worth more since it has a basement. The answer is that it depends. Is the basement finished or unfinished? What area do you live in? Is the basement large? Is there plumbing installed already? There are so many questions, and the answers will all lead to whether or not the basement adds value to the house.

Sellers are often surprised to find out that their home might be worth less if it has a basement that is unfinished. Many buyers see a basement as an added bonus, if a finished one happens to be included with the house. However, they aren’t necessarily willing to pay more for it. If your home has a finished basement, now is the time to decorate. If your home is lacking a basement, this is the time for you to start coming up with some visuals and plans to show the buyer. Let them know what you were planning to do, and give them an idea of what it would cost. 

If your basement is unfinished, the buyers are going to already be wondering about money in their head, so it is better if you beat them to the punch with a great design and a great price, that way they don’t completely write your home off.

If you do nothing else at all, at least make sure that the basement is clean! Basements are grounds for bacteria, mold, spider webs, and dirt. Let the buyer see that your basement isn’t like that; it is a clean space that doesn’t accumulate dirt and bacteria the way basements usually do.

If your basement is cluttered with random miscellaneous items like most basements, now is the time to clean up. The buyer needs to see that the basement is a spacious area that can be a great bonus room. If the area is cluttered, the space looks smaller. Donate anything you never use, and pack away the items that you don’t use often. april06decnews_staging_4_h2-jpg-rend-hgtvcom-966-725

Decide what look you want to go for before you begin to stage. You could make the area a living room, an entertainment room, an office, or an extra bedroom. It’s not a bad idea to talk to your realtor and ask her what she thinks would peak a buyers interest the most. You can borrow furniture and artwork from parts of your home to decorate the basement. Hang pretty paintings, add lamps, and blinds. The point is to make the buyer envision themselves spending time there. If the basement is a dark color, you should paint it neutral as soon as possible.

In conclusion, a basement certainly does have the ability to add value to the home. You just have to be sure that you stage it correctly. If you can’t afford to hire a decorator, there are many resources online to find excellent inspiration. Happy staging!

2 thoughts on “Should You Decorate Your Home Basement? Yes! Read Here To Find Out Why a Staged Basement Can Help Your Home Sell Faster (And For More Money!)

  1. Rick says:

    What if I don’t have the money to furnish the basement? I do believe I can come up with a little to make some repairs and updates, but I don’t think I’ll have the funds to stage it. I also wouldn’t want to spend money doing that when I am about to sell. Will this make selling my house difficult?

    • Patricia Morris says:

      Hi Rick. There are actually companies that let you rent furniture. It is true that staged homes sell faster, however, not staging your basement isn’t going to really affect whether or not someone wants to buy your home as long as the rest of the home looks nice. As you said though, you definitely should make repairs if you can. The point is for a buyer to realize that having your basement will be a bonus to purchasing your home. If it is a shoddy, unfinished basement, they might pass on the house even if they like it. They may go for a home that is around the same price, in the same neighborhood, with either a finished basement or no basement at all. It really depends on the prospective buyer. Good luck!

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