What Is Home Staging?

If you’re planning to put your home on the market to retire or move to another property, you may have come across the term ‘home staging’ as a way to improve your chances of making the sale. But what exactly is home staging? Home staging is a technique employed by experts where your property is painted in the best visual light to help you sell it for a higher price in the least possible time.

Home staging is much more than just cleaning, painting or de-cluttering. While those are important, home stagers will use a range of techniques to change the look and feel of your property – dressing it up in the best way possible that paints a lifestyle for potential homebuyers. They may use different types of furniture, artwork, accessories, paintings and much more to show off the advantages and features of your home that can appeal to a wide range of homebuyers.

A professionally staged home highlights its functionality, space and decorative aspects to make buyers seriously consider its living potential. Not only does it imbue a sense of style into the space, but it also delivers on the functional aspects so buyers can plan a life before they even make an offer. Removing the negatives and taking away imperfections are at the heart of home staging – creating a stunning image of your home in the eyes of prospective buyers.

What Does A Home Stager Do?

Home stagers are experienced and knowledgeable in the real estate business and know exactly what appeals to homebuyers in different market conditions – allowing your property to be brought to its fullest potential.

A home stager will begin by inspecting your property and establishing what can and cannot be used when staging it for a viewing. Tapping into furniture collections, props, artwork and much more, the idea is to create a design that is best suited to the market while bringing out the architectural beauty of the home to the potential buyer. Neutral palettes are usually introduced to cater to a broad range of prospects.

The home stager will determine whether your property needs a complete makeover or whether a few changes will do the trick in order to maximise its value. When you have mere seconds to impress a buyer, home staging will give you that standout appeal you need to make an impact.

Staged properties have been known to draw several more viewers and have sold quicker with higher sales prices, so you don’t want to end up missing out on this advantage when you’re looking to sell your home.

When Should You Consider Home Staging?

Home staging can make all the difference between a good selling price and a great selling price, so you may want to consider it from the time you start thinking of selling your property. There’s so much to consider with home staging because you must be prepared to make changes to your home, so the earlier you start planning, the better.

A home staging stylist will need to take you through every step of the process depending on the amount of changes required on your property. In some cases, it may just require a few days, while in others, it may take several weeks. This is especially true for properties that need major changes like landscaping, complete interior design, repair work, window treatments, colour changes and much more.

Home stagers usually centre their plans on specific arrangements and themes to highlight and complement the features of a property. They may require several weeks to bring your real estate property to its maximum potential, which is why advance planning can help you make the most out of this service.

Why Opt For Home Staging?

You’ll never get another chance to make a good first impression, and buyers usually make up their mind about a place in the first few seconds of viewing it.

Home staging works best in a market where buyers have plenty of choices because they have more appeal than non-staged properties. The idea is to create simple elegance to enhance the visual appeal of your property and make it more desirable.

The assumption that home staging is just for million dollar properties is simply not true. Even modest homes can make thousands of dollars more on a property just through better presentation. Potential buyers will only be willing to pay a good price if they can envision themselves in your home, so home staging seeks to harness this desire by optimising the beauty of your property.

No matter how happy you are with your home’s décor, it can be difficult for buyers to envision themselves living there because the property likely appeals more to your taste buds than to others. Leaving the space empty will make it seem uninviting and cold, which will also deter potential buyers. Home staging not only infuses warmth into the space, but it also creates a purpose – giving buyers the chance to imagine living there.

A home staging stylist will work with you to de-clutter the space and make changes where needed. If your property needs massive changes, the stager will advise you on the timeline, requirements and budget so you can decide what you want to go ahead with.

Selling Your Staged Property

Staged properties are typically easier to sell. Most buyers start looking online, so well-photographed properties that have been staged will attract more people to the viewing than homes that are not staged. With more people inspecting the property, you’re more than likely to find a buyer willing to pay a good price for it.

There is a clear correlation between home staging, quicker sales and higher prices – making it a sensible investment when you are looking to make a sale without having to negotiate too much on price. At the end of the day, smart enhancements to your property can put thousands of dollars more into your bank account so you don’t want to compromise on anything when it comes to home staging.