If you are in the process of selling your home, you will have to make the decision of whether or not you will “stage” your home. Some people avoid home staging because they feel it is too expensive, or time consuming or that in the end, it really doesn’t matter.
But statistics say otherwise. Homes that are staged typically sell faster and at a higher price than those that are not. As for the amount of work it requires – if you follow the advice of a professional, it won’t be much more work than you would already have to do anyway in terms of cleaning and decluttering.
It is recommended that you stage your home before you list it in order to get the most bang for your buck and to make the best impression on potential buyers.
Reasons to Stage your Home
If you need more reasons to stage your home, then consider the following:
- Staging your home will help you get the best price. Imagine walking into a clothing store – in the front of the store there are neatly pressed, items organized and folded or hanging. In the back, there is a bin of crumpled items in disarray. If you’re like most people you’ll assume that the disorganized items are on clearance – maybe last year’s styles.The same kind of thinking holds true in the real estate market. People naturally assume that a well-presented home is worth more.
- You’ll be able to sell your home faster. According to the Association of Property Scene Designers, homes that are staged sell an average of 43% faster.
- You’ll be forced to declutter and depersonalize. As sentimental as your grandmother’s china or your daughter’s hockey trophies may be to you, it is important for potential buyers to imagine the home as THEIR home. Clutter and personal items interfere with this. And since you’ll have to pack up these items sooner or later, being forced to do so will give you a head start in getting them ready for your move.
- You will learn about interior design. You may have great taste and even a knack for decorating and arranging a room – but there is always something you can learn. If you work with a professional stager, you may learn a better way to arrange artwork or a better way to coordinate colours and patterns – and you can take this knowledge with you and use it when you are decorating your new home.
- Not staging can cost you time and money. If you haven’t staged your home before the first potential buyer looks at your listing photos or attends an open house, then you’ll never know how much unnecessary time your home has been on the market or how many dollars you have lost on offers because your home wasn’t shown in its best possible light from the start.
The old adage that you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression is true. So take the time and put in the necessary work to properly stage your home. You’ll be glad you did.
Contact Woolcott Real Estate today to find out about our Stage and Declutter program!
