Home Staging For Amateurs!
It seems like every week a REALTOR® will stop into our offices and tell us about a home- a really nice home- they recently showed a client.
The home will obviously show a lot of promise, have great location and all of the other factors that make us fall in love with a home.
But because the home looked not quite perfect on the inside, our agent's buyer either decided not to pull the trigger or made a lower offer than they otherwise would have.
Just because of how a home looked.
Not how it felt, not where it was.
Simply because it wasn't "dressed for success.
" When most people sell their homes, they think of signs, mailers and all sorts of other advertisements.
But what's often forgotten is that selling one's home is exactly that: a sale.
Sprucing up your home isn't enough, though.
If your goal is a quick and profitable sale, your home needs to be designed with your buyers in mind.
For instance, paint color.
Sure, you may love bright pink paint in every room (except the basement, which is black), but will your buyers? If you live near parks and schools, chances are that your hypothetical buyer will have children.
Your paint colors should appeal to that, and to any other probable factors.
Or, say, furniture.
Speaking for REALTORs, here, we've all seen homes for sale whose couches and chairs are covered in a squaky plastic covering that can't help but remind you of grandma's old and uncomfortable lounge chairs.
Selling your urban loft or condo? Your furniture should likely be modern and sleek.
Selling an executive estate? Small and subtle furniture probably won't do.
Let's not forget odor, though, folks.
Sure, we love a strong curry or garlicy roast as much as the next REALTOR®, but there's a time and a place for such things.
If you're selling your home and can expect to have showings occurring in your home, that's neither the time nor the place.
You never know what allergies, likes or dislikes a potential buyer might have.
Taking the simple step of making sure that your home has a neutral and unoffensive odor is a simple yet often overlooked step in the home selling process.
Of course, if you're working with a professional and well trained REALTOR®, you likely will never have to concern yourself with these things; if any changes are necessary, your agent may simply recommend that you obtain the help of a professional home stager, who will make your home look better than you could ever imagine.
The home will obviously show a lot of promise, have great location and all of the other factors that make us fall in love with a home.
But because the home looked not quite perfect on the inside, our agent's buyer either decided not to pull the trigger or made a lower offer than they otherwise would have.
Just because of how a home looked.
Not how it felt, not where it was.
Simply because it wasn't "dressed for success.
" When most people sell their homes, they think of signs, mailers and all sorts of other advertisements.
But what's often forgotten is that selling one's home is exactly that: a sale.
Sprucing up your home isn't enough, though.
If your goal is a quick and profitable sale, your home needs to be designed with your buyers in mind.
For instance, paint color.
Sure, you may love bright pink paint in every room (except the basement, which is black), but will your buyers? If you live near parks and schools, chances are that your hypothetical buyer will have children.
Your paint colors should appeal to that, and to any other probable factors.
Or, say, furniture.
Speaking for REALTORs, here, we've all seen homes for sale whose couches and chairs are covered in a squaky plastic covering that can't help but remind you of grandma's old and uncomfortable lounge chairs.
Selling your urban loft or condo? Your furniture should likely be modern and sleek.
Selling an executive estate? Small and subtle furniture probably won't do.
Let's not forget odor, though, folks.
Sure, we love a strong curry or garlicy roast as much as the next REALTOR®, but there's a time and a place for such things.
If you're selling your home and can expect to have showings occurring in your home, that's neither the time nor the place.
You never know what allergies, likes or dislikes a potential buyer might have.
Taking the simple step of making sure that your home has a neutral and unoffensive odor is a simple yet often overlooked step in the home selling process.
Of course, if you're working with a professional and well trained REALTOR®, you likely will never have to concern yourself with these things; if any changes are necessary, your agent may simply recommend that you obtain the help of a professional home stager, who will make your home look better than you could ever imagine.
Source...