Home Staging – Why it Works

 

One of the best ways to get your home ready for sale and make sure it looks its best is to enlist the services of a Home Stager. Your home is your biggest asset and staging will help you get the best price possible – quickly.

“Why does this work?” you may well ask.

• The majority of home buyers cannot look beyond the way the house, or a room, is presented.
• People will make up their minds very quickly (10 seconds, or less!) if they don’t like something – so first impressions count. Home staging is all about creating the right impression.
• Home stagers are trained to see your home through the eyes of potential buyers.
• They can help you create a space that not only looks its best, but is one that appeals to the largest market possible.
• You will get an objective assessment of your home and be advised on how to best edit your possessions.
• A professionally staged home looks balanced, harmonious and is in “move-in condition”.
• The way we live in our homes is very different from the way we present them for selling.
• A properly staged home will be less “personal”, allowing potential buyers to picture themselves in your home.

Here’s a list of very imporant things you can do to get your home ready for sale:

Clean:

• Everything – inside and out. It will smell better, look bigger and more inviting.
• If you have pets or smoke, get your carpets, draperies and upholstry steam cleaned and then make sure to refrain from smoking indoors.
• It’s a good idea to remove your pet from the house, either to a kennel or a friend’s (not everyone is a “pet person”) -  it will be less stressful for you and your furry friends.

De-Clutter:

• Too many unneccessary items crowd a space, so it’s essential to edit your home.
• No collections please! Keep out only one or two items from a collection, then pack it and other knick knacks, papers, etc. up and get them right out of the way – afterall, you’ll be moving soon!

Repairs:

• Items that need repair must be addressed well before you put your home on the market to ensure you get the best price possible.
• Unfinished projects look like work to potential buyers
• Items that need repair put up red flags and make people wonder “what else is wrong with this house?”

Colour:

• Look at the colours in and outside your home. They should be warm neutrals that would appeal to the broadest part of the market. T
• Think about how many other colours would blend comfortably with your walls and flooring i.e. pink carpeting has a limited appeal. Remember your buyer’s furniture and taste may be very different from your own.
• Does your front door pop and say Here I Am and Welcome?

Creativity:

• It’s all about ways to show off the positives of your home while helping buyers imagine themselves living there. The majority of buyers know what they see not the way it could be.
  

Here are some inviting ideas to help you ”set the stage”:

• Set the table as if you’re expecting guests.
• Run the hot tub with fluffy towels next to it.
• Create a cool scene next to the pool or on your deck that has inviting chairs for lounging, an umbrella and even a magazine or two.
• Fill a blank space with a fresh bouquet of flowers.
• In the cooler months, create a cozy reading corner with a cuddly blanket draped over a comfortable chair and leave an attractive book beside it.

Good Luck!

Sandy King

www.sandyking.ca

 

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Copyright 2008 Sandy King