“According to the National Association of Realtors, for every $100 invested in staging, the potential return is $400. Compare that to the average sale price, which is a reduction of 10-20% from asking. So an average home with a $400,000 asking price will be reduced by $40,000 to $80,000.”
~ Forbes
When selling one’s home, the first impression is everything. Home staging has long been known as a marketing strategy that can influence the potential’s perspective. One’s impression can really be swayed based on the condition of the house when being shown. Many realtors offer to stage the house by “dressing-up” certain key rooms with beautiful and well thought out interior décor design. Having experience in helping clients buy and sell homes, realtors are the number one go-to for advice because they know what potential buyers will like when walking through the home and how to grab their attention while doing so. Whilst it may make the owner happy to have their personality and lifestyle shine through during showings, staging allows for “neutralizing” the home and creating a space that is easier for others to envision themselves living in. Staging allows for the buyers to freely explore the home while focusing not on the lives of the people that live there, but more on what life would be like if the buyers wanted to pursue and make an offer.
The 5 most staged rooms are the living room, the kitchen, the dining room, master bedroom and the bathroom. Below are some tips to help start staging your home before the process.
De-clutter – Psychologically clutter makes people feel uncomfortable or anxious. Remove or neatly rearrange stacks of books or magazines. Pack away any toys that may be lying around or items that don’t belong there.
Remove Personal Items – Often times items such as photos of the owner and family may prevent the potential buyers from truly connecting with the home as it acts as blockers when it comes to visualizing how the home may look according to the tastes of the prospective buyers.
Stay Timeless – It is good to stay on top of trends, but trends may not be for everyone. Staging advice will help sort between what trends will hurt or aid the house selling process.
Neutral – A common misconception that some sellers have when staging their home is the idea that their house has to look expensive to sell at a high price. Going out of one’s way to add ornate features to the house can actually backfire. The prospective buyers may feel that they cannot afford the upkeep of the home. By keeping things with accentuated pieces leaves the home feeling open, inviting and spacious, without overwhelming the potential buyers.
Home Repair’s – Any normal wear and tear should be fixed. For instance, walls, if in bad condition, should be repainted. The bathroom tiles can be scrubbed or redone with grout to restore it to its normal color. If there are carpets, steaming cleaning is best and lastly wooden floors can be polished for that extra gleaming shine, overall making the home look well maintained and cared for.
Don’t forget to ask your real estate agent for reference to a good Stager!