Top 5 Mistakes Homeowners Make Before Selling (And How Home Staging Fixes Them)

Thinking of selling your property? Read this first.

At Salt & Staged, we’ve helped dozens of homeowners, developers, and investors across Surrey, London, and the South East avoid costly missteps by transforming how their properties are presented before sale.

We’re not just here to make spaces look pretty — we’re here to help you maximise value, speed up sales, and create the kind of first impression that stops buyers in their tracks.

Here are the five most common mistakes we see sellers make — and how we fix them with strategic, intentional home staging.

1. Overlooking Style and Surface Issues That Undermine Your Sale

The mistake:
You might love your oversized leather sofa, that floral wallpaper, or the wall colour you chose in 2012 — but that doesn’t mean your buyer will.

And to be fair, it’s not your fault. When you live in a space every day, you naturally stop noticing the things that once stood out. It’s easy to become accustomed to your surroundings. That’s why having a fresh, objective set of eyes — like a professional stager — can offer perspective that’s easy to miss.

Why this hurts your sale:

• Bold or personal design choices distract from your home’s features

• Dated finishes create the impression that the property needs work

• Buyers are quick to assign “mental deductions” for anything that feels like work — and that undermines your sale even before negotiations begin

It’s not just about style — it’s about condition.
We also see sellers who skip small but visibly obvious repairs — like a kitchen cabinet hanging off its hinge, chipped paint, or dated/bold wall colours that dominate the room. These might seem minor, but to buyers, they feel like a hassle or a negotiation opportunity.

And unless you’re happy to accept a lower offer (or be low-balled), it’s wise to avoid giving buyers reasons to discount your home before they’ve even left the viewing.

How Salt & Staged fixes it:
We neutralise and refresh — not to erase character, but to create a blank canvas where buyers can project their lifestyle. With carefully chosen furnishings, accessories, and colour palettes, we create spaces that feel modern, warm, and welcoming — without feeling soulless.

Before staging, we’ll also flag elements that visually work against you and suggest simple, high-impact updates that elevate the presentation. Because when buyers see a home that feels “ready,” they’re far more likely to offer strong — and fast.

2. Leaving Money on the Table when Listing a Vacant Property

The mistake:
Vacant properties often feel lifeless, cold, and — strangely — smaller than they really are.

Why this hurts your sale:

• Empty homes feel less inviting with perceived lack of care or warmth

• It creates a subconscious sense of neglect or emptiness

• Buyers struggle to visualise how rooms are used, especially when the layout isn't straightforward

• Spaces feel less valuable without clear function or atmosphere

How Salt & Staged fixes it:
We transform empty rooms into lifestyle-rich, purpose-filled spaces using curated furniture, soft furnishings, and décor. Rather than just seeing blank walls, buyers walk in and immediately picture themselves living there. It’s no longer just a property with four walls your potential buyers are seeing — they’re seeing a home.

Example 1: Making a small space feel bigger
We staged a 2-bed terraced property in Romford, Essex with an open-plan living and kitchen area. When the property was empty, buyers struggled to visualise how to furnish the space, and it felt tighter than it actually was.

After staging, the homeowner immediately said: “This space feels so much bigger now!”

He later wrote in his review:

“When it was empty, potential buyers were struggling to see how roomy it is, but Sara’s design shows clearly how large the space is and how it can be used to best effect.”

That’s the power of professional staging — it doesn't just show space, it amplifies it.

Example 2: Defining zones in a large, curved open space
In a project in Cobham, Surrey, we were faced with a large, open-plan property featuring curved walls and an unconventional layout. Left vacant, the space felt overwhelming and difficult to interpret.

We had to think smart — creating clear flow, defining functional zones, and making the space feel balanced, inviting, and easy to navigate. The result? A home that no longer felt confusing, but full of possibility.

3. Poor Layout and Furniture Flow = Missed Potential

The mistake:
That oversized sectional, the too-small dining table tucked in the corner, or an awkwardly placed chair might work for your lifestyle — but it can confuse buyers and disrupt the flow of the home.

Why this hurts your sale:

• Cluttered or mismatched layouts make rooms feel smaller

• Poor flow breaks the emotional “walkthrough” buyers want to experience

• Buyers can’t visualise how the space is meant to function — which weakens interest

How Salt & Staged fixes it:
We design each space with both the viewer and the camera in mind — styling rooms to highlight the property’s flow, natural light, and standout features. That means taking into account buyer psychology, creating natural flow, arranging furniture to support conversation and movement, and guiding the eye to the right focal points — whether it's a fireplace, a beautiful window, or a key feature of the room.

Our layouts make each space feel more open, balanced, and functional — no renovation required.

Example:

This flat in Chelsea had great bones, but the layout was working against it. In its original state, the living room felt disjointed and underwhelming — bulky mismatched sofas, a cold colour palette, and no clear focal point.

Before staging, the space looked flat and slightly cramped. After staging, we reimagined the room entirely:

• We introduced a textured rug to anchor the layout

• Positioned comfortable but proportionate seating to create an inviting zone

• Defined the living area clearly without clutter

• Added lighting, artwork, and accessories to guide the eye and enhance warmth

The transformation not only improved flow — it gave the entire property a new level of style, sophistication, and clarity. And most importantly, it helped buyers immediately understand how the space could work for them.

4. Dropping the Asking Price Before Improving the Presentation

The mistake:
You’re not getting offers, so your estate agent suggests a price drop — even though the real issue might be how the home looks, not what it’s worth.

Why this hurts your sale:

• You reduce your return unnecessarily

• A lower price attracts bargain hunters, not committed buyers

• The perceived value drops — and the listing risks becoming stale

• You might still end up making presentation changes anyway, just after losing valuable time and money

How Salt & Staged fixes it:
We focus on elevating your home’s presentation to strengthen its appeal and attract serious, emotionally invested buyers. While staging alone can’t guarantee a sale, it dramatically improves how your property is perceived — helping it stand out, create urgency, and avoid looking like a “discount listing.”

The cost of our staging services is just a fraction of your home’s value (an average of 0.3% to 0.8%), but it can lead to faster interest, stronger offers, and fewer requests for price negotiations. When your property looks well cared for, stylish, move-in ready, and desirable, buyers compete for it — instead of negotiating down.

Example:

Drawing from a personal experience from a property my partner and I had put an offer on a few years ago — and it's one I’ll never forget because it perfectly illustrates a few of the points we've covered in this article.

The property was a former rental, and it had been taken off the rental market so the owner could sell. But instead of preparing it properly, they left it vacant, with bright red and yellow walls, and kitchen that looked neglected and dated. To us, it looked like it needed some work — so we offered what we felt was fair. The offer was rejected. What happened next was the property sat on the market for nearly a year, going through a couple of price reductions.

Eventually, the walls were repainted, a new kitchen was fitted, and the listing photos looked significantly better. Shortly after that, the property sold. I couldn’t help but think if the seller had done all of that upfront — and perhaps even staged it — they could have sold faster, without a year of stress or price slashing.

The lesson? When you’re selling your most valuable asset, don’t treat presentation as an afterthought. Treat it as a strategy — one that protects your price and boosts your return.

5. Listing Without Professional Photos

The mistake:
You’ve cleaned the house, cleared away clutter and taken a few photos on your phone, and uploaded the listing. Job done? Not even close.

Why this hurts your sale:

• 93% of buyers begin their property search online

• Poor photography leads to fewer clicks, lower perceived value, and missed opportunities

• You only get one chance to make a first impression

This isn’t the stager’s job, but rather your listing agent's.
Not all estate agents are equal, but a good estate agent, or an estate agent who takes pride in the properties that they represent will never let subpar images represent your home. Great agents understand that presentation starts with visuals, and that means paying for professional photography — the kind that’s edited for lighting, flow, and consistency. Their listings stand out because they’ve invested in showcasing properties at their absolute best.

If your estate agent is happy to list your home with quick mobile phone shots (yours or theirs), run. Run for the hills. That’s a red flag — and a major sign they may not be invested in getting you the best result.

How Salt & Staged fixes it:
While we don’t provide professional photography ourselves, we’re happy to recommend reputable photographers and estate agents who understand how to capture a professionally staged home at its absolute best.

After all, if you’re investing in staging, it only makes sense to present it properly. Great photos and great design go hand in hand — and we make sure your home is shown in the best light, both literally and figuratively.

Example:
We don’t have any “bad photo” examples to show you as every property we stage is professionally photographed by our clients or their agents, because presentation doesn’t end with staging — it continues through the lens. But if you're curious, just take a quick scroll through Rightmove or Zoopla. It becomes pretty obvious, pretty fast, which listings were photographed professionally — and which were taken on an iPhone — yes, we’re talking about those phone snaps with odd angles and bad lighting, and buyers notice straight away. Not exactly the first impression you want to make.

Ready to elevate your home's presentation and achieve a faster, more profitable sale? Start by contacting us for a consultation and discover how our staging services can make a difference.