Since 2002, I have been a professional home stager. As an Accredited Staging Professional Master and the first Property Image Consultant (in Arizona), I’ve helped dozens of real estate agents and home sellers take a more pro-active approach to selling their home. From Maricopa to Phoenix, Scottsdale to Chandler, I have assisted home sellers with a first hand experience staging their home. I understand that turning a home into a “house” is an emotional process and I’m always glad to help. As a neutral third party, a home stager is one of the best allies you can have to help you sell a house!
Tips and Ideas to Help You Decorate Your Home To SellSo, you’re selling your home but the real estate market is softer than it was not long ago. While the market may have normalized somewhat and may no longer be a sellers market, real estate activity is still strong in many areas; especially compared to other parts of country. Don’t waste a minute preparing your home for the ever critical eye of each person walking through the door. Buyers tend to see the flaws in a house more so than all the good you have created in your home. Consider the value of staging your home before putting it on the market. According to a recent StagedHome.com survey, homes listed for sale in a “good” market prior to staging would take an average of 42 days to sell but significantly improved their days on the market by 21% after staging. Successful home staging company, Decorated to Sell, located in Phoenix, Ariz., has seen impressive returns on a modest home staging investment. During peak periods, 41% of homes have sold within the first couple weeks and 72% with full price offers. However, owner Calie Waterhouse has certainly seen the change in market dynamics with homes staying on the market longer and home staging can only improve those odds. “I get many more calls these days from frustrated homeowners whose houses have already been on the market for 6 months or more. Home staging is an important piece of the home selling puzzle, ” explains Calie Waterhouse. ” The home has to be priced right, be in the right location and look better than the cornucopia of competing homes to entice the buyer to make an offer.” View a video link from a recent television appearance by Calie Waterhouse of Decorated to Sell at http://www.azfamily.com/. The HGTV show ‘Designed to Sell’ shows how to ’stage’ (fix and decorate) homes like this to make them more attractive to buyers. After a $2,000 investment in staging, this Pasadena, Calif., home sold for $31,000 over the asking price. COURTESY OF HGTV
What can you do as a seller to minimize these flaws and highlight your homes best features? Make any home appropriate for a variety of buyers that may be looking at your property. Let’s take a look at several reasons why your home may not be selling and some easy-to-do remedies. Curb Appeal. Stand across the street and critically evaluate your front yard. Is it weed free? What about the “For Sale” sign? Is it easily visible from the street with current information? Do you have flyers available? Seems small, but this is actually a “biggie” in many neighborhoods where multiple homes are for sale. Clutter. From the front yard to the back gate, get rid of everything that takes up space or anything that you can live without. Likely, you’re moving into your new home soon, so why not start packing now? Depersonalize and declutter to create an inviting environment that appeals to varied tastes and styles. Home buyers are looking for cabinets, closets and kitchen space. Home sellers need to reduce, reduce, reduce! Clean. How long has it been since you had a professional cleaning service do the job right? Have your home cleaned by someone who is not emotionally attached to the property. They see things that you don’t and normally are especially detailed oriented in cleaning the home. Color. “Real Estate Beige” comes in many different shades these days, but whatever shade of neutral you decide to go with, make sure it is properly applied. If painting over dark colors, be sure to use a primer. Hiring quality contractors to paint for you is worth the money. Walls in good condition are important, but so are walls that buyers can see. Consistency. Make sure the home is prepared daily for buyers. Put wet towels in the dryer during the day (running the dryer before heading off to work). Dirty clothes need to be picked up and put in the laundry basket. Used dishes should also be put in the dishwasher each morning. Remember, people will recall what they saw, more than what they didn’t see. Remember, buyers will make their decision within the first few seconds of driving up to your house. Sellers need to create the invitation and motivate the buyer to want to come in!
What is Staging? · Staging is the process of professionally preparing a home for sale to maximize its appeal to the greatest range of potential buyers. Unlike interior decorating (which focuses on personalizing your home), staging is about creatively de-personalizing your home and focuses on selling your house – not your belongings. · Through staging, it is our goal to make your home look good to the broadest range of potential buyers, while maintaining its spaciousness, uncluttered, model home feel. Remember, we are selling square footage. Q. Is there a difference between Interior Designers, Decorators & Stagers? A: Interior Designers are able to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces. Websters defines interior designers as a person who specializes in designing architectural interiors and their furnishings. The American Society of Interior Designers offers a wealth of information on the interior design industry – including a detailed checklist on how to hire one. Interior Decorators are responsible for the embellishment of interior finishes including the selection and arrangement of fabrics and furnishings. An interior decorator can become certified through the Certified Interior Decorators International. Home Stagers primarily work with homes for sale, although some stagers also offer design or decorating services. There are various on-line classes, seminars, books and manuals available to individuals interested in becoming a stager. Q. What Can A Home Stager do for my vacant home? A: Using experience and talent, a stager will create a show home using an inventory of furnishings, accessories, artwork, etc – all appropriately chosen to highlight the property’s best features. Many stagers have established relationships with area retailers to ensure the most suitable furniture selection for your home. Q. What Can A Home Stager do for my lived-in home? A: If the property is lived-in, then a home stager will come in and spend one day in the home - moving the furnishings and accessories around to create a more open feel, enhance the traffic patterns, etc. (see below) Q. What’s The Difference Between a Consultation and a Bid? A: Staging professionals typically offer staging for both lived-in and vacant properties. For lived-in properties, one of the services offered is a written consultation. This report is a detailed view of what an expert envisions for the quickest sale of the property. It includes an overall view of the property, as well as a very specific list of items that the home seller can do themselves to prepare the property for sale. This is perfect for the do-it-yourselfer! If needed, the stager is on hand to assist you with the process. Consultation appointments commonly last an hour or more depending on the size of the property. The fee for this report is based on square footage and location. The average fee here in Arizona ranges from $125 – $500 A “Bid” is prepared for staging vacant homes. The stager will view the property in a brief meeting and put together a Proposal for Staging. There is usually no charge for the Staging Proposal – with the exception of any possible travel fees. Q. How Much Does Staging Cost? A: Depending on the nature of the services you need, of course, fees vary. Typically, the stager will like to see the home and take a brief tour of the property before quoting any prices. After the stager has a chance to view the property, you will receive your Staging Proposal. The Proposal will tell you that upon your agreement to stage the property, there will be two fees – the initial staging fee and then a rental fee for the furnishings & accessories. A monthly rental fee is then applicable to keep the property staged. The services may based on a monthly minimum. |
