Back
2956 days ago

5 expert tips on selling your home

Lodge Real Estate - City

First impressions count and looks matter whether we like to admit it or not. Home staging not only helps to sell your home faster but also attracts more buyers that are willing to put an offer on the table.

Here’s how the experts present their homes before entering the market:

1. Keep it clean and crisp
Remember your mum telling you to tidy your room? Well those days have spent as you need to create a home that is clean and neutral. The goal of home staging is to get buyers to mentally move in when they visit, but that’s difficult if it’s full of all your own stuff. Take the time to remove family photos and other personal items from your home too, as these can distract viewers from what your home really has to offer.

Be ruthless!

2. Create points of interest
A perfectly placed piece of furniture, plant or artwork in a hallway, awkward corner or at the top of a set of stairs can create a point of visual interest and encourage visitors to investigate further.

Points of interest are a great tool to add symmetry and balance to each room, it’s about showing the viewer the potential of the home and helping them visualise what it can be.

3. Balance is good
Studies have shown that humans find symmetrical and balanced arrangements more aesthetically pleasing—from art to faces and food—and yes, even how we arrange our furniture. Move your lounge furniture away from the walls and pair up movable furniture, such as your chairs, lamps, and side tables. If something doesn’t match try pairing it with something of similar size to balance the room out.

4. Each room needs a signature
Every room has its own distinct feature. It could be a fireplace, a different coloured wall, a piece of furniture, a window, or an artwork or mirror. Once you’ve found your feature, celebrate it and emphasise it.

5. Know your audience
Every good entertainer knows what their audience wants and how to give it to them. Think about the features that will help buyers to visualise the lifestyle they might lead in your home. A table and chairs for a family on the deck, a secluded reading chair in the sun, or a minimalist kitchen can all help sell a viewer on a different lifestyle—it’s important to understand what buyers are looking for and how they see themselves in your home which could soon be theirs.

Remember, think about your location and it’s context. Is it mostly families, working professionals, students or seniors? Use that information to guide your staging decisions. If you’re struggling for ideas a estate agent can always help with this.

Click here if you want to find out more or download a free eBook on this topic.
Get FREE eBook

Image
More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

Neighbourhood Challenge: Who Can Crack This One? ⛓️‍💥❔

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What has a head but no brain?

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm on the day!

Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

Image
O
1 day ago

Leaving Neighbourly

Orlando from Pukete

Hey everyone, just a quick note to say I’m leaving Neighbourly. I joined because I thought it would be a good way to connect with people in the community, especially the older generation, and to receive advice, help, and shared knowledge.

Over time I’ve made quite a few posts genuinely looking for help or guidance, and unfortunately I’ve rarely received any responses. Most of the time it’s just one or two likes and no actual comments or help, which gets pretty discouraging after a while.

I understand people are busy, but when you consistently put things out there and hear almost nothing back, it starts to feel like there’s no real point in being part of the platform. Because of that, I’ve decided it’s best for me to move on.

No hard feelings — just not the right fit for me. Wishing everyone all the best.

3 days ago

Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”

We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?

Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.

Image
Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
  • 40.5% Yes
    40.5% Complete
  • 34.4% Maybe?
    34.4% Complete
  • 25.1% No
    25.1% Complete
521 votes