Real Estate Investing Articles

It doesn’t matter what you call it — “a little sprucing up,” “adding some curb appeal” or “home staging” – the numbers don’t lie. A home that’s been “staged” sells, on average, within one month, while an unstaged house, takes almost 6 months to sell. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you, a staged home often sells for the asking price. In any economy, especially one that’s experiencing a downturn, that’s not too shabby.

So, what is staging? On a very elementary level, a staged house is one that is de-cluttered, with furniture rearranged for easy access and pass-through, and simply but elegantly accessorized. Staging is a way of decorating your home so that when your potential buyer first enters, they immediately get the sense, subliminally, that this house, above all others, is the one.

Every seller wants to show their home in the best possible light. Only a decade or so ago, that simply meant keeping the house and yard clean, neat and presentable at all times, just in case the house was being shown to potential buyers. Now, homeowners are recognizing that their “comfortable, lived-in” look doesn’t sell. And professional stagers are cashing in on that recognition, big time. In North America alone, there are over 20,000 professionals belonging to the Real Estate Staging Association, and that doesn’t take into account Realtors who have certification in staging.

Professional stagers are not simply interior decorators; they are trained to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, by minimizing a home’s flaws, through depersonalizing and de-cluttering the evidence of human existence, while emphasizing improvements to the property and landscape as a means of adding value. Excuse me? In simple language, they get rid of the junk, and make the most of what you’ve got. If you’ve got nothing or an empty house, they can take care of that, too. Many stagers have access to furniture, rugs, accessories and all manner of decorative household item, and for a fee (of course), can strategically place them in your empty home.

Staging doesn’t have to be expensive; you can get a basic consultation from a professional, who will charge by the hour, and make recommendations that you implement. Fees start at $75 per hour and upwards. For a pull-out-all-the-stops home staging, including provision of furniture and accessories, it might run as high as $4,000. But before you roll your eyes and close this tab, consider this, the return on your staging investment can be as high as 300%, but is almost never less than the initial cost.

It’s possible to stage your home yourself, provided you can be totally objective. The best way to do this is to take pictures of the rooms in your house, both during daylight hours and at night time, and take a good, honest look. Pretend that it’s not your property at all. What would and could you do differently? If you’ve got a friend whose decorating style you’ve always admired, why not ask for their help, as well?

There are some basic steps to staging your home, and getting it ready for sale. Most of them are do-it-yourself jobs, requiring little money, and a little more time.

Reduce clutter – Clear your house of “almost” everything that’s unnecessary; box it and pack or give it away… you’re moving anyway, right? You needn’t pack it all, though, this is still a home, and a “few” personal pictures or a couple of stand-out pieces of a favorite collection will add warmth.

Streamline – Keep only your “essentials” in your essential rooms, such as your kitchen and bathrooms. A potential buyer doesn’t need to know your preferred brand of deodorant.

Reorganize – Move furniture around, if necessary, to create a natural flow or walk through. Too much furniture in a room tends to make the room look smaller, so if you’ve got excess, stash it elsewhere.

Refurbish – Scrub, clean, paint, patch or polish your walls, floors, ceilings and windows. A bucket of soapy water, a can of white paint and some elbow grease may be all you need to revitalize a room.

Let the sun shine in – Open up the drapes and blinds during the day, and be sure you’ve turned on all of your ambient lights whenever the house is being shown in the evening.

Setting the mood – A couple of lightly scented candles (don’t overdo it, it’s a shrine) and music playing softly on your stereo (no hip-hop, rap or opera); if appropriate, light a fire in the fireplace. All of these are subtle but welcoming touches.

Individually, all of these are small, easily attainable improvements. Combined, they’re powerful enough to send the subliminal message that you want to convey: That this is your dream home.

Barb Zigah is a freelance writer covering real estate and business topics.

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Posted by Barb Zigah under Real estate investor resources & Uncategorized | 2 Comments »