Top 5 Home Staging Tips

The process of getting a property ready for sale has irrevocably changed. As we have discussed in earlier posts, sellers need to do much more to impress savvy buyers – from investing in smart updates to professionally staging their homes so that they stand out both online and in person. How a home is marketed has also radically changed, moving from print media to online social networking sites like Facebook, Zillow, Twitter and more. Modern buyers rarely drive around and look for houses these days, instead they navigate through listings on their mobile devices and have to be impressed by a home’s online pictures before they decide to put it on their short list.

With our years of staging experience, we have watched these changes happen and we work hard to make sure that our clients are knowledgeable about how they can best present their homes for sale. Over the course of our six and half years in business, here are our top tips that we pass on to clients looking to maximize on the sale of their homes:

Stage the Space for It’s Intended Purpose

Set up rooms or spaces so that they reflect the purpose or function which the majority of your target buyers can relate to. We always say that how you live in a home isn’t necessarily how you sell it. So empty out junk rooms, furnish vacant rooms and turn dining rooms that have morphed into a playroom back into … you know it .. dining rooms. Presentation matters.

Take the Personal touch out of the Room:

From personal pictures to taste specific design elements, before a home is listed for sale, these items should be addressed. The goal is always to invite your buyers to envision themselves living in the home and dreaming of the lifestyle the property offers. If they are distracted by looking at your personal picture collages or overwhelmed by all the wallpaper or taste specific paint colors then buyers will be imagining instead, how quickly they can move onto the next property on their list. This doesn’t mean the home has to look sterile or boring – consult with a professional home stager so that your property strikes just the right note with your target audience.

Invest in some Smart Updates

With the onslaught of home selling shows on networks like HGTV, buyers have come to expect more out of their next property. Smart updates like neutral paint colors, hardwood flooring in key living areas, new countertops and modern lighting go a long way towards impressing target buyers and maintaining a home’s intrinsic value. Not every home needs all of these updates however by investing both time and money into a property before it’s listed for sale, you will ensure that buyers see it in the most favourable light. Most home owners aren’t sure which updates their home could benefit from so we always recommend a staging consultation with a professional who will knowledgeably guide them towards the right choices for their property.

Stage Vacant Homes

A parade of empty rooms often fails in capturing the interest of buyers both online and in person. Rooms without purpose, warmth or appeal challenge today’s buyers who typically cannot see past what they are presented with. Without furniture, rooms look small and buyers have a tough time envisioning both how their furniture will fit and how they will live in the property. Based on national stats, vacant properties take longer to sell and often sell for much less than what they are worth. Staging dramatically changes this type of situation, defining spaces with modern furnishings that buyers can appreciate and relate to. Investing in staging helps vacant homes sell up to 80% faster than un-staged properties and ensures that they sell for what they are worth. A staging investment is never as much as a price reduction once a house is listed for sale.

Stage to Attract your Target Buyer

In the same way that companies spruce up their products to make them appealing to the mass market, a professional stager will effectively showcase and highlight all the best features in a property. Staging is a very effective type of marketing for homes, ensuring that they appeal to not just as many people as possible but that they target specific types of buyers. From knowing the demographics of a given community to understanding what modern buyers are looking for, a professional stager will make recommendations that are specific to both the home and it’s location. Buyers are younger than ever and they want to buy a home that models the modern lifestyle they aspire to have. Dated furnishings or finishes fail to impress them. A well staged home models this lifestyle and creates the emotional cues which result in getting offers.

For more information on professional home staging in Kitchener-Waterloo, visit Rooms in Bloom online and on our Facebook Fan Page. We take pride in partnering with home owners, realtors and builders to get properties show-ready. As one of the Top 5 Home Staging Companies in North America, we have the knowledge, expertise and resources to effectively stage any property for sale. Contact us today to get the Rooms in Bloom Competitive Edge!