The most buyer traffic will come through a home the first two weeks it is on the market than any other time period. No one gets a second chance to make a first impression and when you are talking about real estate, the only way to generate new interest in your home is to drop your price to attract a different group of potential buyers. With buyers expecting move-in ready homes and becoming more aware of what to expect in a home, more Realtors and sellers are turning to home staging to help them differentiate their homes from the competition.
Home staging is the process of de-personalizing a home and making it "buyer ready" so it appeals to the largest potential buyer audience possible using proven design techniques that highlight the home's best architectural features. Home staging, also know as real estate staging, is not home decorating but rather an art that utilizes a home owners existing furniture, lighting, and art work to draw a potential buyers eye to the positive aspects of your home. Home staging will address furniture layouts, paint schemes, clutter, traffic flows, focal points, lighting, accent colors, and creating that WOW factor.
The potential benefits of home staging for the sellers are:
- Sellers who stage their properties first, also end up packing most of their belonging before the home goes on the market; this makes the move less stressful.
- All the clutter is removed from your home prior to your first Open House.
- The statistics show your home will sell faster because it will show better.
The potential benefits of home staging for potential home buyers are:
- The buyers can see the architectural features of the home they want to buy rather than wading through clutter and family pictures.
- Potential buyers are able to envision their belongings fitting in the space because all excess furniture and clutter has been removed.
- A property that has been professionally staged has an optimal room layouts, which shows all potential buyers the best way to utilize the space in every room.
The potential benefits of home staging for real estate agents are:
- A home seller who has paid for a home staging consultation will be more likely to listen to the advice of their Realtor regarding price and marketing of their home.
- A professional home stager may be able to say things to a home sellers that a Realtor may not be able to without jeopardizing his/her relationship with their client. A home seller expects design advice from a home stager and usually welcomes it.
- Having a professional home stager on a Realtor's team is a positive marketing tool to gain more home selling clients in today's competitive market.
- A professionally staged property will present better on the MLS and will result in attracting a larger buyer audience.
- The statistics show your home will sell faster because it will show better.
If you are still unsure about the benefits of having your properties professionally staged, contact your local home stager for a Realtor presentation on the benefits of staging. The proof will be in the before and after pictures and how fast the homes sold. Home stagers, Realtors, and Sellers all have the same goal - to sell your home quickly and for the highest dollar amount.
BEFORE AFTER
Kate, Kate's Home Staging and Redesign specializes in home staging, interior design, home decorating, color consultations, custom wood signs, semi-custom window coverings, and more. Call Kate to schedule your design consultation at 845-538-3623 or visit www.kateshomestaging.com. We serve the Rockland County, Orange County of New York and Passaic County, New Jersey
Great post Kate. It's amazing that in this day and age with 70% to 90% of North American buyers looking online before even calling a real estate agent that anyone would question the value of home staging in merchandising a property and making it stand out from the crowd of competing homes.
Well done Kate. Good topic.
Kate, You always do such a wonderful and professional job! There was quite a bidding war here on a home that had been on the market but hadn't sold...and then it was professionally staged! It creates such an amazing transformation.
Kate, those points are all valid, and it seems we just need to keep reminding people. Staging is so much more than cleaning and de-cluttering!
Kate -
Good points. I also like the before and after pic you included.
Kate...great points and totally support your point that the home must have it's "best foot forward" from the moment it goes on the market!
Well said - those who want to wait and see before staging and just losing time and money. And the power of online photos cannot be stressed enough as most potential buyers shop on line before scheduling in person showings.
Hello Kate,
Your posts are always very well stated and informative! Another terrific post! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Rita
Excellent post Kate, so right about the first week or two!!
Great post! Perfectly said....wish all would listen. Thanks for sharing.
Debra ~ I could not agree more. Thanks for stopping by.
Janice ~ Thanks for your kind words.
Carole ~ You're right, a professional staging job can really make a huge difference when selling a home.
Cathy ~ Exactly, I try my best to stay away from cleaning. I do not mind recommending products to help the home sellers, but our job is more geared towards design not house cleaner.
Joel ~ Thank you, it is amazing what some paint can do and some well placed furniture.
Kathy ~ Thank you, if a home looks horrible during its initial marketing, it could be really hard to generate new interest in the home.
David ~ I see the "wait and see" plan all the time and most of those homes are still waiting to be bought. I really do not understand why staging is not considered.
Rita ~ Thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate it.
James ~ Thank you, first impressions are so important in real estate.
Lori ~ Thanks, I also wish more would listen.