In the process of helping a seller list their home, one of the first discussions we have is about the many benefits of home staging. Whether the client still occupies the home or the home is vacant, staging is critical to ensure that the home hooks prospective buyers at first glance. The end goal of staging is always to curate a cohesive space in which a buyers can envision themselves living. There are multiple levels of staging and we work closely with our sellers to choose the option that works best for their specific situation and budget.
If the seller still lives in the home, we schedule a visit prior to professional photos to walkthrough the home and advise on what items to keep on display, what to store, and how to arrange furniture and other belongings. Sometimes a seller might not have specific accessories (i.e. faux plants, neutral linens, knick-knacks) and in those cases we help with sourcing them. A few tweaks and/or additions to existing belongings can help foster a positive first impression.
We highly recommend full staging for our vacant listings. Professional staging helps get buyers through the door sooner and in a higher volume, which is half the battle. Getting face time with buyers grants us an opportunity to highlight the best features of the home through its staging, helping the buyers picture a life well lived. If full staging is the chosen route, we have a number of preferred professional stagers in our rolodex who do impressive work. We also facilitate every step from gathering proposals to moving the staging out before closing.
Here are our top staging takeaways from the article "Before and After: See This 687 Sq. Ft. Apartment Staged 3 Wildly Different Ways" by Liz Steelman:
"Staging is all about optimizing a home so that it appeals to the widest range of potential buyers. It’s not a trick, per se, but instead a methodical way of accentuating what’s already there."
"Experienced brokers and stagers can see a home the way a buyer wants to see it. We know what a buyer will fall in love with, and can elevate these characteristics so they’re the first thing a buyer sees when they walk in."
"Staging is about making multiple buyers want your home to ensure not only a higher selling price, but also a shorter time on the market."
"I think many people would look at the style “before” photos and think they’re more than fine. But can you point out a few reasons why that styling wouldn’t work for selling purposes?
MR: It was too specific to the current resident’s taste. You need to appeal to as many eyeballs as possible—especially when it comes to design. I’ve heard from many potential buyers that a space is really nice, but it gives off a somewhat interesting vibe. When they say that, what they really mean is that it looks nice, but it’s not for them."
"A new buyer wants to envision themselves in the home, so when you’re selling it’s no longer about you—it’s about the future of the home. You have to detach yourself from a property."
"When it comes to staging, you have to be mindful of the stuff you keep in your apartment, the colors you use, and most importantly, how you lay things out. Don’t waste space."
Read the full article
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Check out some of our favorite staged listings from this year:
