Deciding to sell your home, in of itself, can be overwhelming. Preparing to show it is a whole other...monster. The entire process can be emotional, the considerations and details often feel endless, and who has the time to set the perfect stage for potential buyers?
But, if your goal is to sell quickly, you simply must.
Questions like: "Do I really need to stage an empty home?" and "How do I stage my home if we're still living in it?", are definitely among the top few frequently asked questions that we encounter. This is where home stagers come in. Stagers exist to take the pressure off, to design quickly and beautifully, and to help you sell your home for more, faster. We highly recommend using a home staging consultant no matter the situation.
So, we decided to ask stager Jenna McKnight with Aqua Home Staging, to jump in to answer these questions.
Here's what Jenna had to say in a nutshell:
Why stage your empty home?
1. No one likes an empty house
90% of home buyers look online before inquiring about a home (National Association of Realtors). If the house is beautifully staged with updated furnishings, studies show that they are much more likely to click on the listing. And, when staging, remember that you have about two seconds to capture a prospective buyers attention online.
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2. Nothing's perfect. Distraction is key.
When there is no furniture, buyers have nothing to focus on besides the walls, floors, and the fixtures (and, whatever flaws there are with all of these things).
Nearly 1/3, or 28%, of buyers are more willing to overlook proper faults when the home is staged (according to the National Association of Realtors 2015 Profile of home staging report) .
3. Staging = More Money
Many people are blinded by the expense of staging, and decide they can do without. But, often they're settling for less by doing so. Statistics show that buyers are more likely to offer more money for a staged listing rather than empty homes. In a 2018 Home Staging Resource survey of 4200 homes, 85% of the staged homes sold for 6-25% more than that un-staged homes. So do what it calls for when selling your home - don't be afraid to spend a little to get considerably more, all the way around.
How to Stage Your Furnished Home
1 - Declutter.
This is extremely important. While clutter is a fact of life, it can also be a source of stress and unease. So, be on the safe side, knock out the clutter to avoid the risk of stressing out potential buyers with someone else's clutter.
2. De-personalize.
Try to take as much of yourself out of the home as you can, so that others can visualize themselves living there. This includes taking down family portraits, personal photos, etc. (There are a few exceptions to this rule, like black and white photos that can add an artistic flare).
3. Rearrange.
When you're living in a home, you usually have the furniture arranged in a way that makes the most sense for living. However, this may not always look the best. Something that a home stager will focus on is re-arranging the furniture in a way that will show off each room the best way possible.
"Getting your home ready to sell is stressful. Period," said McKnight. Hiring a home stager, whether your home will be shown furnished or unfurnished, is undoubtedly the easier road. Stagers come with a detailed punch list in mind to ensure that photos will instantly engage potential buyers, and subsequently increase your chances of selling both higher and faster.
But, for all you adamant DIY-ers out there, stay tuned! Our stage-it-yourself blog is coming soon...
Questions about home staging? Call Jenna at Aqua Home Staging: 757-784-2797
