Staging for Success: How Home Staging Helps Your Selling Position
In the age of HGTV, Pinterest, and a curated Instagram feed, aesthetics drive our decision-making process on what to wear, what to buy, and where to live. That’s where staging comes into play.
When you’re getting ready to list, you should consider getting ready to stage. Staging your home is just a simple process of decorating and swapping out furniture to best showcase the rooms and potential of the home. Needing—or wanting— to stage your home isn’t a reflection of your own decorating skills, but rather a thoughtful way to inspire potential buyers on what they can do in the home rather than what you have already done.
Each year the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) does a profile of Home Staging and looks at the value it brings to the selling process.
In 2019, they discovered the following:
83% of buyers’ agents say that staging makes it easier for buyers to ‘visualize’ the property as their future home.
44% of buyers’ agents say that staging a home increases the dollar value offered.
53% of sellers’ agents say that staging a home decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market.
Our Realtor®, Amber Briem, and her clients recently staged their home for the market with the help of local stager (and neighbor) Lily Cutler with My Dream Home Staging and Decor.
“I truly believe in the ‘Magic of Staging.’ I love creating beautiful spaces that are inspiring and welcoming. If a client walks in and he or she sees not just a house but a place to call home, maybe their dream home; in that case, my job is done. Remember that staging is a way to show off the true potential of a home.”
Lily’s top five tricks for staging include:
Boost Curb Appeal: Make potential buyers fall in love with your home from the street by adding flowers, plants, power-washing patios, and walkways, mowing the lawn, weeding the garden. Make a good first impression.
Make Your Home Sparkle: Do a deep cleaning, pay attention to the kitchen and bathrooms, and don't forget about the floors and carpets.
Clear Out Clutter and Depersonalize: Let buyers see your home, not your stuff. remove excessive personal items like photos, collections, personal awards, etc., and pack unnecessary items, old furniture, and toys.
Let the Light In: Buyers love light and airy living areas. Add more light in different dimensions by adding lamps, opening blinds, and letting the light in. Go neutral on walls and furniture, apply a fresh coat of paint if possible.
These are just a few tips to help you showcase your home the best, but if you can invest in a company to stage your home, they can bring the "Magic Touch" with their professional expertise to make a difference in selling your home faster and for top dollar.
Check out these incredible Before & Afters of Lily’s “Magic Touch” in staging Amber’s listing, 11628 Alexandria Drive.
Get in touch with Lily Cutler to stage or design your home:
Lily Cutler
(801) 427–9232
mydreamhomestaginganddecor@gmail.com
Keep in mind, you don’t need to do every room, but it helps to do the rooms that your buyers will spend the most time in.
The NAR found that the most commonly staged rooms for selling are:
93% Living Room
84% Kitchen
78% Master Bedroom
So keep your eye on those rooms when getting ready to sell and remember that staging them can drastically influence buyers’ decision making.
If you’re not in a position to stage your home for selling, check out this statistic.
The NAR reports that 95% of agents—both on seller and buyer side—recommend that sellers declutter their home before putting it on the market.
Decluttering is a free and powerful alternative to staging. Our top tips for decluttering include removing any obvious personal effects so you can capitalize on buyers being able to ‘visualize’ the property as their future home.
Staging, decluttering, and consulting a Realtor® are simple things you can do to set yourself up for success in selling your home.
