Designed to Sell – Guide to Home Staging
When potential buyers first enter your home, it is the first impression that will stay with them when considering purchase which make home staging very important. When buyers are typically looking at multiple homes in the same day, making your home memorable can be done with strategic staging. You are helping the buyer to see the potential without leaving it up to their imagination. If a home is empty without furniture it can be difficult for some buyers to imagine themselves living in it.
What is a home stager? A home stager is similar to an interior decorator. They have expertise on choosing colors, fabrics and furniture and arranging them to have the best, most functional appeal.
Why should I stage my home? According to the Real Estate Staging Association®, professionally listed staged properties spend 87 percent less time on the market. In California if a home is staged prior to going on the market it will sell 5x’s faster than a home that is not staged.
What process is involved in Home Staging?
1.) Plan – Develop an action plan that helps to highlight the strengths and downplay the weaknesses. For example, removing heavy curtains from a window with a great view or downsizing oversized furniture to make the room look bigger.
2.) Declutter – Too much clutter or disorder in a house can give a buyer the impression that the house does not have enough storage space or was not well maintained
3.) Repairs – Schedule any needed repairs. This includes worn carpet, loose door knobs, leaky faucets, broken screens, paint, etc… Properties that are move-in ready are more appealing to buyers.
4.) Reorganize – Bring in furniture, artwork, bedding, pillows and some home décor to create a balanced and invited space. Many home stagers have warehouses of items to help your home feel like your buyers dream home.
How much money could you save by staging your home? The Real Estate Staging Association® study show 63 homeowners had their property on the market 143 days before staging. If their mortgage and expenses are $2,100 per month they could have saved $8,400 if they staged it before listing it.
Choosing the right agent with the right expertise is so important when selling your home. Rick Sauer believes his role as your Realtor is to guide you through the buying or selling process, taking the time to make sure you understand every step of the transaction. If you have any questions about selling your home, give him a call. Rick Sauer believes in home staging and will even cover the costs!
Rick Sauer
858-414-0977
www.ricksauer.com