Home staging, simply put, is the process of visually preparing your home for sale. In the real estate industry we do this help make your home appeal to the widest possible audience of potential buyers. The purpose of this process is to edit and neutralize your home so that it looks bigger, brighter, cleaner, and more attractive to buyers. Since we live in our homes, we generally become accustomed to the way they look, and we tend to personalize them so that they work and look the way that best suits our needs. However, once you decide to sell your home, this will likely need to change.
Many buyers have a difficult time imagining themselves sitting down to watch their favorite TV show in a living room filled with your knick-knacks and photos. They feel like they’re in a stranger’s home, which is exactly the opposite of what you want. You want to make it effortless for a potential buyer to envision themselves living in your home and feeling completely comfortable there. That’s where home staging comes in! Our marketing team is practiced in the art of preparing a home for resale and working work with the ‘flow’ of the home to eliminate clutter, and edit and arrange furniture to show off a rooms size and finishes, allowing your home to make its best first impression on a potential buyer.
Top staging tips from our real estate marketing team…
· Make sure you are staging and not decorating.
· A Neutral Base – Neutral paint is a fantastic start, we can add pops of colour with accessories!
· Streamline – Remove any ‘overflow’ or unused furniture so that buyers can see the size of the room and leave the space feeling light and airy.
· De-personalize – Personal photos can be packed and stored in preparation for your move. Removing these personal items will help buyers to visualize themselves actually living in your home.
· Remove Clutter – Keeping counter tops and vanity surfaces clear of day to day items takes the personal out and keeps the buyers focus on upgrades and finishes, not your choice of toothpaste!
· Keep it Clean – Having a clean and fresh smelling home will keep people interested when viewing the home. Abrasive odours and unclean areas will turn people away.
· Lighting – Open drapes, blinds and shutters allowing natural light to flood the rooms and create a welcoming and bright atmosphere.
· Curb Appeal – Maximize the curb appeal of your home by sealing your driveway, removing off season decorations, keeping grass, shrubs and gardens looking trimmed and fresh, putting garbage and recycling bins out of sight.
REMEMBER, 92% of home buyers look at listings online before deciding to ever step foot inside of a home for a showing. The first impression of your home is now a digital one, which is one of the reasons why Home Staging is so important in making your online presentation shine.
For more information on staging your home to sell, or to book a complimentary consultation give us a call.