Home Staging ? What is it ? Why is it important ? Is it costly ? Is it needed , even in a competitive market ?
Lets dive right in .
Picture yourself buying a car and going to view it .You look at the exterior, check for dents , color, trim , etc. You open the door , get in , see how it feels, how it smells , you examine the condition of the upholstery , the colors , all of it .
Would you be inclined to purchase it if it looked worn, dirty and cluttered ?
Maybe the car has empty fast food drink cups, worn upholstery, stickers and magnets on the vehicle .
Let's take it a bit further ,it may even have residual scents from the owners furry friends.
On top of all this ,it's priced competitively just like the one from the dealership that is in pristine condition and shows beautifully , exterior and interior.
Would you still be interested in purchasing it ?
My thoughts exactly. This my friends is why staging your home is so important.
Unlike a vehicle, your home is most likely your biggest investment and you need it to shine! You need it to standout on the web because that is how most homebuyers find their homes now , online.
Let's begin with what Home Staging isn't. Home Staging is not home decorating for the current homeowner . Let's read that again. Home Staging is not decorating for the current homeowner. As a matter of fact, once your home is staged , you may not even like it because its not your particular style and that's ok. Home Staging is meant to attract the right buyer .Home Staging will not break the bank and it is not a one size fits all.
So then, what is Home Staging ?
It is a marketing tactic that attracts buyers in that demographic to visually allow themselves living in the home. All this is done by professionally staging with strategic furniture placement , art and decor .
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in a recent study published
April 6, 2021 , NAR finds home Staging Helps Buyers Visualize , Homes Sell faster . Staging also increased the sum buyers were willing to spend for a property and decreased the amount of time a home spent on the market according to the report .
Click here to view .
So how much does staging cost and who pays for it ?
Home Staging prices can vary from a few hundred dollars to the thousands. It really depends on what is needed ( furniture pieces, decor, art ) as well as the size of the home.
For instance, some of the factors involved are is the property vacant ? Is it an occupied home ? Whats the size of the home ? What are the buyer demographics ?
If a home is occupied the staging costs can be very minimal and most often can be covered during a consultation , a small investment for a big return in the homeowners pockets .
If the home is vacant, then we have an empty house that needs to be furnished and staged according to buyer demographics. This investment might be a bit more but again, the homeowner needs to be able to see the value it will bring when it sells.
And who takes care of this bill?
Well most of the time it's the homeowner, the investor ( house flipper) or at times, the Real Estate agent. A wise real estate agent will add , at a minimum a home staging consultation with a professional home stager to their marketing plan for their client.
This will help the real estate agent focus on other important duties related to the home selling transaction.
It is wise to make an investment in home staging . Again ,this is most likely your biggest investment and will pay off when you sell your home for more money .
Stellhous offers various services. A good starting point begins with a Staging Consultation.
