Home staging offers a win-win solution for both owner and agent when preparing a house for sale. Owners no longer have to rely on their sense of what looks good or worry about making an empty house appeal to potential buyers, and real estate agents can rest easy and leave the job to the experts.
While it is a great solution, it is prudent to follow these four basic rules to avoid the common pitfalls or a devastating home-staging fail.
Get it Right the First Time
When selling a house, the age-old adage holds – first impressions do count. Many NZ real estate agents believe that potential buyers decide about a home within ten seconds of walking through the front door.
Any professional home-staging company worth their salt will know how to present your house as a home, a home that potential buyers can immediately envisage themselves living in. The more relatable the space, the more quickly your house will sell, which, in turn, will eliminate the cost of re-marketing.
In some cases, where a house has broad appeal, the level of interest may increase and push the sale price up.
Either way, a professional home-staging job can save or make you money.
Find a Trusted Professional
As with any profession, there are plenty of cowboys out there. Find a home stager who can provide testimonials and examples of their work so that you can gauge whether their style is a match for your house. Ask friends, colleagues and family for referrals, or check with your real estate agent to see if they can recommend anyone.
Get a Quote
Make sure you ask for an estimate; this is relatively quick to calculate, and most home stagers are happy to provide a free quote. The charge will be either an hourly rate or a set fee for completing the project; this differs between companies.
When calculating whether you can justify the expense of having your home staged professionally, consider the current condition of your home, the going rate for similar houses in your area and the average selling time in your suburb. Calculate whether the expense of the home staging service balances the expected gain in the sale price.
Understand What Your Package Includes
To avoid the surprise of incidental charges, make sure you know what your home-staging package includes. There are many ways a home stager can prepare your house. Here are a few examples:
- Remove furniture to show a room off to its best advantage and highlight feature points within the house.
- Bring additional furniture (or supply a complete set of household furniture if you are home staging an empty house)
- Eliminate clutter by reorganising a room.
- Change the furniture layout or alter a room’s lighting to create a different atmosphere.
Do Your Bit
Your home stager may request that you make minor repairs or improvements to your home. Homestaging will take care of the decor, arrangement and furnishings within the house, but their service does not extend to repair jobs.
Instant appeal – a buyer must like your house from the word go, so make sure the lawns and garden are tidy, the house receives a fresh coat of paint if needed, the footpath and driveway are clear, and you trim any trees or shrubs.
Look at your house through a strangers eyes – imagine how a visitor will see your home. What is the first impression when entering through the front door? Does your home feel welcoming?
Clean your home thoroughly – wash windows, and the outside of your house, clear cobwebs, vacuum, polish furnishings, clean floors and eliminate any offputting odours – dampness, mildew, or cooking smells. A feeling of freshness is critical!
Once your home is sparkling and freshly prepared, you may not want to leave, but one thing is sure, the tidy, uncluttered, stylish surroundings will woo potential buyers. And, with a bit of luck, your home stager will have helped you to clinch a quick and financially satisfying deal in the sale of your home.