What is Home Staging?
In preparation of the sale of your Home, Staging is performed to make your home appealing to the greatest number of potential buyers. By Home Staging a property the marketed image allows for potential buyers to imagine their life inside your home. Marketing your home to realize its full potential frequently results in a higher sale price and reduced time on the market.
Many Buyers have trouble imagining themselves in a new home. Visualizing their furniture in your space after having seen a half dozen places can be a little overwhelming. If we can show a potential Buyer how your space accommodates furniture, draws light, and has been well cared for, we’ve won half the battle. It is not always easy to see your home from a buyer’s prospective so if you have any questions about home staging or preparing your home for a sale please contact us. Below are some key aspects to consider:
Curb Appeal – When a potential buyer drives by a property or arrives for a showing or open house often it is the first impressions that are the lasting ones. Curb appeal may be accomplished through simple actions such as cleaning up/tidying walkways, removing unnecessary tools, landscaping and even painting your front door. Additional actions to consider are exterior repairs, installing exterior decorations, re-painting and extensive landscaping.
Top 10 suggestions that can really make a difference to your curb appeal:
- Mow the lawn / rake leaves and rid grounds of weeds
- Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the exterior of the house or roof
- Clean the windows and gutters
- Remove mold and mildew from house, roof and walkways
- Pressure wash house siding, decks and walkways
- Edge sidewalks and remove any vegetation growing between concrete or bricks
- Put away the garden tools
- Store kids toys neatly away
- Install a more attractive front door or apply a fresh coat of stain/paint to the current one and replace doorknob hardware if it is outdated
- If the budget allows, fresh paint will make the world of difference. (Be sure to check into colour schemes that are appealing)
De-cluttering – “A place for everything and everything in its place” – For simplicity sake, less is more. People are often surprised at how much of a difference it makes to a room or whole house when nothing but the basic necessities with furniture and wall decorations is visible. Pack up any furniture and items that do not serve purpose in the room to create more open space. Minimizing what is in your home and on walls for photos and showings will make the rooms appear and feel more spacious along with helping a potential buyer to visualize their own furniture and life within the space. Keep in mind when you are de-cluttering your home in preparation for sale that the product you are selling is your home, not who you are, how you live or your interests (This includes family photos on the walls and collections whether they be big or small. Your personal items may be impressive, but they aren’t what you are selling). The less there is to distract a potential buyer the more appreciation for the space and features of the home will be noticed. Think show home, not your home.
Top 5 Suggestions for De-cluttering:
- If you are serious about moving pack everything you won’t need before the move. Boxes that are packed and neatly stacked in a garage or basement will open up the spaces in other areas of the home and show potential buyers that you are serious about the sale of your home. Better yet, rent a storage locker and show just how big your garage or basement are. Go through each room and determine if furniture and other items are necessary by considering the purpose for the room. If it isn’t necessary to complete the purpose of the room, pack it away.
- In the case of presenting your home, negative space is positive. Reduce what is stored in closets and cupboards to no more than 2/3 full. Closets and cupboards that are jammed packed full will provide the impression that there isn’t enough storage space available.
- Basements and garages are important selling features too. Organize these spaces as neat and tidy as the rest of the house.
- Minimize accessorizing and decorating. Fewer ornaments on tables and shelves will improve the space and the more wall space showing the larger the room appears. Also, the more floor space, the bigger the room looks.
- Remove all the personal pictures on your walls. Prints and paintings are fine but your wedding photos and ball photos should be packed away.
Painting and Colour Choices – Buyers today tend to expect “move in conditions” when searching for their new home these days. Painting provides rooms with a fresh and clean look and although a buyer may be interested in painting a few areas to suite their personal preference they will often choose a house that has minimal work required. Keep in mind that you want to appeal to the most number of potential buyers while painting and remove your own personal touches and preferences. Painting the main rooms with a neutral-based palette will help potential buyers better envision how their own personal touches will enhance the space.
Warm and Inviting Environment – A comfortable environment is important to create a positive lasting impression of your home. Before a showing or open house air out the space removing cooking or pet odors and have the heat at a comfortable level to achieve a cozy feeling. Open up the blinds to let in as much natural light as possible and turn on the lights in each room. For an added touch or splash of colour and scent place fresh flowers in a vase near the entrance way or on the table. Fresh baking the morning of an open house will also leave a pleasant scent and tasty treat for visitors but a small drop of vanilla on a lamp light bulb before turning it on can achieve a similar fresh baking scent throughout the home.
Vacant Property Staging
Potential buyers sometimes question a vacant property. Has the property been on the market so long they had to move? Were the owners transferred? Is there something wrong with the property? Is the property overpriced?
Three Considerations for Vacant Property Staging
- Professional Staging – Hiring a professional stager can not only set the stage in each room to a professional standard but also reduce stress and emotional involvement in preparing your home for sale. Leave it to the experts to market your home and create the warm and inviting space that sells.
- Virtual Staging – Computerized images of furniture and accessories are placed in photos of vacant rooms to create an inviting appearance that entices potential buyers to view the property. Full disclosure in the advertising will be required.
- Furniture Rental Staging – Staging is a temporary action as it is uncommon for furniture to sell with a home. Having the basics of furniture in the main rooms will help potential buyers visualize the room as a livable space.