Dramatic Spaces Home Staging and Design

I want to clear up the myth that home staging is only about cleaning your home so that it is presentable and de-cluttering the most common areas. Although this can go a long way in selling your home and I encourage it as a starting point IT IS NOT WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN A HOME SELLING EXTREMELY FAST AND FOR WAY MORE MONEY!

When a homeowner cleans and de-clutters their space to help sell their home they are definitely in a better position than someone who doesn’t put the effort in to sell it (the “as is” sale).

Home staging is pushing it to the limit of the WOW factor, the most desirable home on the block, the “transformed” home. This is where you will really make more money in selling your home and selling fast.
Home staging is striving for PERFECTION. If you look at model homes, they are perfect. They often have high end features and everything is just right. It is not often that a buyer goes into a model home and says “I don’t need hardwood floors, I would much prefer the basic carpet and underlay”. Builders count on you “falling in love” with all the upgrades and that is why they plump these homes up and make them irresistible. And as for the price, are you able to negotiate to get “below” asking price? No, but you can do without the upgrades to lower the price and go for the “basic” model.

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We often talk about applying a fresh coat of paint to update your space and really create an impact. It not only freshens up your space, but you can also ensure a neutral backdrop to capture the attention of more potential buyers.

Another great option to improve your homes appearance is to create spacious rooms. A common mistake I see is boxes and other items piled up in garages and basements. This could be a result of you simply not knowing what to do with these items or what it looks like to a buyer.
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Home staging works in any market. And this is why.

In a “buyers” market you are up against many more comparable homes for sale so this means you have to go above and beyond in order for your home to stand out. It is like putting on a red shirt in a crowd of people all wearing white. You get noticed. You have to work harder to get a competitive edge over similar homes that are being sold at the same time as yours. But your hard work will pay off by your home selling faster, for more money and you won’t have to experience the stress of endless days of your house on the market. Think of it as going for a job that 1500 other people are going for. You have to stand out not only to get an interview, but to get the job. It is no different in selling your home. I know you can relate to this with the recent recession.

In a “sellers” market where homes sell quickly you can create an increased demand for your home. Instead of a few people wanting your home you could have 10. And we all know what happens when something is in demand – the price goes up. Just imagine a bidding war going on over your home.

It doesn’t matter what kind of market we are in, selling your home is hard work. The result you get just depends on the effort you put into the process. A lot of work means a higher payoff. A little effort means mediocre results. A home stager can get you the results you want faster. Where do you want to see yourself?

Homeowners, do you have any stories of the hard work you put into preparing your home that has paid off? Maybe you are in the process of putting your home up for sale and are nervous about the competition that you are up against and you have some questions. Please feel free to leave your questions and comments below.

This is a common question that homeowners have when they are in the process of getting their house ready to sell and you may feel the same way. I did when I sold my first home. The problem is it is easy to feel that you are wasting your money on repairs, painting, deep cleaning among other things when you are leaving. You may think “why can’t the new homeowners take care of things, afterall they can do it the way they want it to look?” Bottom line is if it is work for the buyer it will COST YOU!
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Nowadays, when you hear the word home staging the words cleaning and de-cluttering follow closely behind. This is really your starting point. From the buyers perspective they want to see your house, the structure and not the items that fill the space. And once you have cleared out or edited your belongings it is important that the space be clean as this is the scrutiny that your house will be under.
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I visited a few open houses this weekend and none of them had decor that screamed out to me as needing a lot of work. But as a home stager I did notice a lack in the detail work. There were so many little things that could be done that make a HUGE difference. They were all older homes as I like their character and the fact that every home is not the same.

These are the types of homes that the homeowner may feel that nothing needs to be done to them. Nothing caught my attention when I viewed the pictures on the internet to say that these homes needed work done. But I am a home stager and I can spot every area that can be improved so that the buyer has less to pick apart, which will bring down the price. My philosophy is to create a win-win scenario. A win for the seller so they can sell quickly, for maximum profit and a win for the buyer so they feel they are getting value for their money with little work to the home.

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If you are thinking about selling your home in the near future I have a challenge for you. I want you to take a look at how other homeowners, with comparable homes in your area, are presenting their homes to sell. This will help you understand what is necessary in preparing your home so that it will sell quickly and for a higher price.

Have fun with my challenge!!

Robin

P.S. If you have taken my challenge I would love to hear about your experience. Just leave your comment below.

The idea behind home staging is getting your home ready for a buyer to be really impressed with it. When you create an atmosphere of comfort, relaxation and coziness a buyer can easily imagine themselves living there. They can see the way their life would be if your home was theirs and when they walk through each room they begin placing their belongings into the space. Their emotions are engaged and this is the point where people really make their buying decisions. If you can engage a buyers’ emotions during a showing they are more likely to make an offer.
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