What Home Staging Does for Real Estate
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The statistics are in, home staging works! Here are 5 reasons for what home staging does for real estate. Selling a home today requires that a house is presented at its best to all potential buyers. No more just putting up a house for sale and waiting for the buyers to come knocking.
Today’s buyers are savvy and have put in time on the Internet, watched television shows, and/or visited new home models to determine what they want in a house and what the current trends are. Most buyer's main goal is a "move in ready" house that meets those needs and dreams. Buyers start out with a practical list of needs, but ultimately a well-staged house can often influence the emotions just as strongly.
"Preparing to Sell Your Home is a Planned Exercise of a Staged Presentation
along with some Repairs and Renovations"
In today's real estate market absolutely home staging should always be used by sellers and should be encouraged by real estate agents to implement this valuable tool, for the following five reasons.
Styling (staging) a home focuses on the positives of a house and minimizes the negatives. For example let us say you have a small backyard, by doing the following: staging with a privacy fence, container plants, appropriate patio furniture and even adding a small fountain can add ambiance and minimizes the negative small size of the outdoor area by adding lifestyle charm.
Staging increases the value for buyers by showing a lifestyle that provides immediate occupancy, without anticipated major changes. Most buyers do not want to be faced with any serious refurbishing (painting, tiling, flooring, new appliances), they prefer a home be "move in ready" so it minimizes any tasks other than putting their own personal style in the house.
Staging makes the listing photographs look outstanding (be sure you use a digital camera with a wide-angle lens minimum 28mm and has a powerful external flash covering the full wide-angle view). Do not use a smartphone because smartphone photos often appear smaller and darker when displayed on the Internet whether it is in the real estate agents multiple listing pages and/or other websites.
Staging matches the preconceived ideas buyers have from viewing the Internet pictures/videos and television shows where house interiors and exteriors are presented with professional styling. Do not underestimate the time most buyers have spent reviewing other homes on the Internet or television for ideas of what they want in their home. Home staging can use your furnishings and add extra touches when styling, increasing visual interest for potential buyers.
Staging first touches the visual emotions of buyers before logic kicks in. as staging often increases the attention to a house, even if the house does not match exactly all the practical requirements buyers seek. Positive visual emotions often elevate the likelihood that a buyer will give more serious consideration to a staged house. Verses buyers only using statistics and practical needs when evaluating a house.
Meet a buyer’s emotional and practical needs and you will raise buyers interest in buying the house. Home Staging can bring out the best in a home, often with styling that uses a seller's own furnishings, removing excess furnishings, with some updating/upgrades.
A real estate agent who knows the neighborhood market and why buyers are buying; and a skilled home staging consultant can partner to help promote an outstanding positive impression, significantly increasing a buyer's interest in a home.
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Eileen Robinson is a home staging expert who gives sellers and real estate agents the tools to enhance the value of a home by using home staging. Eileen is a licensed real estate consultant in Florida, with Premiere Realty LLC.
