Last week I talked about Staging and how it can help with selling your home. Today, I have put together some questions and answers for you regarding staging and why it is a good idea.
What is home staging?
Home staging is the process of decluttering and de-personalizing your home. This allows your home to showcase at its best. Sometimes this requires adding props and furniture. Yet, the goal is always to work with what the client already has.
Why should I stage my house or condo?
Most times, home owners don't view their home objectively. Often they don’t even see things in their home any more. A professional home stager has a trained set of eyes that can see your home as a buyer would. They are able to provide ideas on how to best showcase your home. This can include:
- Furniture placement (for proper flow or functionality of the home),
- suggestions on perceptive changes,
- decluttering advice
- and advice on what to add (when needed)
These ideas can and will wow potential buyers. You want the buyers to love the property and put an offer on it.
Why should I put money into the home I’m selling?
One of the biggest investments you will ever have, is your home. It is important to get the value for your home that it deserves. Investing in staging can sell your home faster and maximize your selling price. By staging, your home may also have many potential offers. This is because staging creates an emotional connection between buyers and your house. Usually the average price reduction is 5-10% of the list price. Staging your home is a fraction of the average price reduction.
My house will sell, why should I stage?
Studies show staged homes sold within the first month on the market. It also shows those homes sold for more money than those that sold after its first month. The cost to stage your home will always be less than the first price reduction. So, it's a good idea to stage your home before it hits the market.
Do I have to stage the whole house?
No. If you are still living in your home, a home stager will look at every room and help you with the following:
- declutter
- re-arrange furniture
- work with pieces and accessories you already have
- make suggestions for some extra accessories (if needed) or furniture rental.
No need to stage every room if your home is vacant. The key rooms are the kitchen, living room, dining room, master bedroom and bathrooms. It is not necessary to stage every room, it can become expensive.
Who pays, me or the realtor?
Usually, the real estate agent will pay for the initial staging consultation. If you need rental furniture or other accessories the home owners will pay for those.
I want to list NOW, should I stage before it goes on the market?
You should always stage your home before your list it. You are hitting MLS as a new listing and you want people looking!
Why hire a Professional Home Stager when I can decorate myself?
Why should I stage my vacant home?
Vacant homes can be hard to sell. A vacant home feels cold and echos. It has little to no character or charm and the rooms are empty. Some emotion needs to be in the home, and staging it will make it feel like a home again. Vacant homes usually stay on the market longer than unstaged homes. This could mean you are carrying more than one mortgage, not to mention other costs such as insurance etc.
How do I choose the right professional stager?
I offer home staging in my price but you can also do your own research. You want a stager who has furniture inventory to stage your home. Who helps declutter and offer suggestions as well as stage your home. I can do all that for you. Should you use accessories or furniture I do not have, you pay that fee.
What is the difference between a home stager and a decorator?
Staging is depersonalizing the home to make it more appealing to the buyer. So the buyer can picture themselves and their things in the space. Decorating is personalizing the home according to the homeowners tastes and likes. When you're selling your home, you want to catch the attention of potential buyers. A home stager knows how to do that.
Can I take my own photos?
You can, but it isn't recommended. A professional photographer should always take the real estate photos. They should also have experience with real estate photography. They know the proper angles and lighting to present each room at it’s best. Believe it or not, photos are also what brings in buyers. Most buyers are searching on-line for homes so your photos need to be flawless. That means staging and professional photos. Buyers look for space. Professional photographers know how to capture the space. Save yourself the trouble in the long run with false angles in your own photos. Have a professional take them who know how to showcase the home accurately.
I hope this was helpful. Thanks for reading and until next time...Keep It "REAL".
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