We cannot stress the importance of staging your home using the right methods. It’s one of the single most important things a seller should do before they list their property for sale.
Let’s look at a few statistics.
- According to the NAR (National Association of Realtors), the average staging investment is between one and three percent of the home’s asking price–which generates a ROI (Return on Investment) between eight and ten percent.
- 90% of buyers begin their house hunting online. Listing your beautifully staged home with high definition photos, as well as quality videos, will force it to stand out from the competition. As a result, your showing numbers will increase significantly.
- 95% of homes that are professionally staged sell in 30 days or less! Homes that have not been professionally staged remain on the market for an average of 145 days.
- Homes sold in the first 4 weeks average 1% more than asking price; 4 to 12 weeks average 5% less; 13 to 24 weeks average 6.4% less; and over 24 weeks average more than 10% less.
YOU DO THE MATH.
Staging your home is actually based around behavioral psychology theories and understanding human behavior. It’s less about decorating and more about knowing how to get your buyers to envision themselves living in your home. You are selling a fantasy. Get rid of anything that detracts from that viewpoint.
Depersonalize. Remove personal pictures and anything else that makes the home feel more like ‘yours’ versus more like ‘theirs’. Clear off counters and shelves, pack away books, and take pictures down off the wall.
Keep furniture to a bare minimum if at all possible. You want just enough furniture to define a room’s purpose without making it feel crowded.
Aim for a cheerful and bright mood. If it’s a sunny day, open the curtains and blinds to let the sun in (but ensure the windows are spotless). If the windows look out into the yard, make sure the lawn has been trimmed and the hedges have been cut. If it’s a gloomy day, turn on the lights in every room to lift the mood.
Fresh flowers are one of the easiest ways to liven up the mood in a home; they make everyone feel good. Use them both inside and outside the home. Flower beds add to your home’s curb appeal, and a walkway lined with beautiful flowers can’t help but impress your buyers before they even walk through the door. Place a tasteful arrangement on a small table near the entry, a bowl of flowers or fruit in the middle of the dining room table, or a vase of flowers on a bedside table or dresser.
Neutral paint schemes create a blank canvas. No two buyers have the same personal preferences and a neutral environment showcases the potential of a home.
Appeal to all the senses. Keep the thermostat set at a comfortable temperature. Make sure your house smells fresh and clean. Sprinkle cinnamon and fresh orange peels in a pot of water and allow it to simmer on the stove for twenty minutes before a showing. Remove it from the stove and put away “the evidence” before the potential buyer arrives.
Bathrooms and kitchen sell properties. Make yours count by replacing old shower curtains and ensuring all fixtures, mirrors, porcelain, and floors shine.
