Now that the holidays are over and you can breathe again, it’s time to re-focus on getting your home sold. It’s a competitive market out there and most of today’s home buyers prefer to browse online before viewing homes in person. Is your online listing giving off the right first impression?
Join me, the first week in January (I’ll be sharing the exact day and time soon), when nationally syndicated lifestyle and entertainment show, Daytime with Jerry Penacoli, (who made his mark on the popular international lifestyle show, EXTRA) and Cyndi Edwards talk staging with me Karen Post your staging expert. We will be talking staging tips and how to sell your home fast for the highest price.
What is staging?
Staging is strategically placing furniture and accessories in a home in a way that appeals to potential buyers.
What’s the difference between staging and decorating?
- Staging is a marketing technique specifically used to sell homes by placing furniture and accessories in spaces to best present a listing.
- Decorating is a matter of personal style and places furniture and accessories in spaces to reflect a dweller’s and lifestyle and tastes.
The goal for any real estate listing is to:
- Accentuate positive features
- Downplay any challenges
- Make the home and the rooms appear as large and luxurious as possible
- Emphasize that the current and past owners carefully maintained the home and that it is in good repair
- Appeal to your ideal buyer’s lifestyle aspirations by creating an image of luxury
How can you accomplish all of those goals for your listing? Start staging today!
Real estate marketing trends
- Buyers are shopping online for everything including homes. We are a visual society with limited free time.
- Home buyer expectations are at an all time high thanks to high end, perfectly styled images available all over the internet, on real estate TV, and in magazines.
- Buyers are looking for listings that are stylish, up to date, and that reflect their lifestyles.
- Homes that are staged to sell move faster and can fetch prices that are 3-12% higher than unstaged competitors
Here are 4 critical staging tips to get you started and prepare your property to sell.
- Think less. Not more. Edit out furniture, accessories and any personal stuff that will make the home feel smaller. Larger, simple elements look more upscale and on-trend.
- Try to detach from the emotion you feel toward your home: the memories, your décor, and your personal style.
- Focus on doing what it takes to get the home sold for the highest price.
- If you hire a staging professional to help you, trust their advice. Remember that any changes they make are not personal, they’re meant to help you sell your home.
Need more help, consider
- Working with staging consultant to guide you
A professional home stager will assess your home and make recommendations as to how you should edit your spaces, arrange your furniture and will provide decor recommendations.
- Using virtual staging services
Many staging companies offer digital services to virtually stage a listing. Designers use software to complete empty or dated rooms with on-trend furniture and accessories. They can even change the wall color and adjust the lighting.
Virtual staging is a great solution if you’re using an online listing to market your home because it’s fast and cost-effective. Having a room virtually staged can cost as little as $250.
- Hiring a home staging company like Home Frosting
Home staging companies select furniture, accessories, and art to accentuate your home, then install it all for you.
They may make cosmetic recommendations too, about paint, cabinet or door hardware, and lighting.
Although home staging has a higher price tag than a staging consultant or virtual staging, it has a huge impact and is highly recommended for expensive homes.
You can estimate the cost of home staging at a monthly cost of about 1% of your home’s list price.
