SELLING YOUR HOME IS A TRICKY BUSINESS. THERE’S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THE PROCESS OF PREPARING YOUR PROPERTY FOR THE MARKET, BUT THERE’S ONE GREAT WAY TO NOT ONLY MAXIMIZE YOUR CHANCES OF FINDING SOMEONE INTERESTED IN YOUR PROPERTY BUT ALSO OF GETTING TOP DOLLAR FOR IT AS WELL. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO HOW YOU STAGE YOUR HOME.
HERE, DAVE FUTCH HAS PUT TOGETHER EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHY STAGING WORKS SO WELL WHEN IT COMES TO REAL ESTATE AND HOW TO DO IT IF YOU’RE SELLING YOUR OWN HOME.
STAGING IS SUPER EFFECTIVE
There’s no doubt about it: staging your home is one of the most effective tools to help find a buyer. In fact, research conducted by the National Association of Realtors revealed that staging helps buyers consider a property more positively a whopping 40 percent of the time.
Likewise, staging can result in a greater chance of bringing in offers that are higher than a property’s asking price. In other words, you’d have to be crazy not to stage your home for sale.
WHY STAGING WORKS SO WELL
Home staging is psychological. When a buyer walks through a home that’s perfectly appointed in ways that allow them to envision their own furnishings and family inhabiting the space, the positive impact on that buyer is considerable. It leaves much less to the buyer’s imagination, although this can be an expensive endeavor if you pay a pro to stage multiple rooms over a long period of time.
Thankfully, Redfin explains there are simple strategies that you can adopt that will impart some of the same advantages as a home fully staged by professionals.
These strategies include.
CUT THE CLUTTER
Professionally-staged homes aren’t just clean — they are free of clutter. If you have crowded cabinets and shelves bursting with interesting items you’ve collected over the years, it’s time to put them away to avoid distracting the eye of a home buyer.
Pack them in storage containers to provide your own home the same clean and uncluttered look you can get with professional staging. If you can, store those goodies with a family member, or rent a storage unit so buyers don’t stumble onto them during showings.
DEPERSONALIZE
Staged homes are usually devoid of anything that brings too much personality to a property. It’s easy for buyers to get caught up in those items that really make the houseyourhome, so it’s best to stow them until you reach your next abode. Family pictures, quirky decorations, particularly distracting furniture or accent pieces — all of this has to go, at least while you’re expecting house hunters.
You want your furnishings to be simple and elegant, as this serves as a blank slate for prospective buyers to imagine their own items in their place.
BOOST CURB APPEAL
Your home’s exterior is the first thing prospective buyers see, both in your online listing and when visiting in person. Your presentation will be pivotal in their impression, so put your home’s best face forward. Tidy the landscaping, pot some blooms to flank the front door, and if that door is looking tired, give it a fresh coat of paint.
If you aren’t sure what will look good, drive by some other homes for sale and visit area open house events to get a feel for what’s working. A bit of research can spur your ideas, and help you see what house hunters respond to.
Selling your home requires more than just giving your real estate agent an extra key and hoping for the best. Being proactive will bring the best results when it comes to attracting a buyer.
Whether you decide to adopt the above strategies in making your property more appealing to house hunters, or you decide to hire a professional home staging company to dress your house for the duration, making the choice to take action is going to result in increasing your chances of getting your home sold quickly and for a good price.
GET IN TOUCH WITH DAVE FUTCH
For assistance with all aspects of selling your home, Get in Touch with Dave Futch by filling out a contact form , via email at Dave(at)DaveFutch(dotted)com, or by calling 808.280.9600, he’d love to hear from you!
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Copyright NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Article reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.