Many sellers think staging is not possible because it is too expensive. While this certainly can be true, it is not entirely true! You can typically stage your house with what you already own and a few simple touch-ups. Realty Unleashed offers free home staging in Edmonton and free home staging in Calgary. We include it in our listing services with no strings attached. The value of staging your home before listing it is tenfold. If you’re wondering how staging can help sell your home faster, read on!
The first few minutes matter.
When potential buyers walk into a property, they typically know if they like it or not within the first 5 minutes. The outside state is a good indicator of the inside, meaning that curb appeal matters. Buyers will occasionally drive by a property before an in-person viewing. They can anticipate what the interior will look like by quickly seeing the home’s outside. The truth is that most people don’t upkeep their lawns 24/7; we all know this. But for the duration that your house is listed, keep up with lawn maintenance. The same goes for inside your home. Make that initial walk-in moment for buyers an experience they won’t forget. Your property should be clean, tidy, and welcoming. We have some good news if you’re looking for home staging: we do it for you!
If you’re wondering what to consider when you’re thinking about curb appeal, ask yourself these questions:
- How does my roof look? Are the shingles intact?
- Does my lawn need to be mowed?
- Do my walks need to be shovelled?
- Are my light fixtures outdated?
- Should I re-paint my front door?
- Are there overgrown plants or shrubs that take away from the attractiveness of my home?
Prioritize depersonalizing your home.
De-cluttering is a crucial piece of home staging. By de-cluttering and depersonalizing, you allow the house to speak for itself. This is the time to remove family pictures or your nephew’s school picture from the fridge; strangers coming to look at your home don’t care to see those personal items. Truthfully, the presence of things that are, to strangers viewing your home, meaningless will prevent a positive viewing experience. If you live in your home while you list it, you probably have some clutter and a collection of random things lying around: car keys, pens, gloves, etc. Find a place to put those things that is virtually invisible to potential buyers.
Staging leads to faster sales.
Staged homes have proven to influence buyers to make an offer. That is the goal. When a home is staged and looking its finest, buyers will likely forget material problems or things that may have been “non-negotiables” originally. Something like a sub-par paint job or not having the kitchen island they wanted so badly will not seem to be as big of a deal. Set up your home to create a memorable first impression if you are positioning your home to attract multiple offers.
It’s all about the illusion.
One of the many advantages of home staging is that it draws positive emotions from buyers. People walking through a well-staged home are greatly affected by their feelings. If you have touched up lousy paint jobs and have depersonalized your home, you allow buyers to think: “Oh, I can totally see my family and me living here.” When your house looks to be move-in ready, you have a chance of being offered the list price. And in a hot seller’s market, the data shows you might even receive offers that are more than your list price.
Still curious?
Data gathered in 2020 from the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) noted that 85% of staged homes garnered offers between 5-23% over list price. The same data showed that 75% of sellers saw a 5-15% return. Whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market, your home will always be perceived at a more elevated value if it is well-staged. Staging does not just mean setting up furniture a certain way. It means touching up paint, de-cluttering, depersonalizing, and boosting your curb appeal. We have several articles about these things here, here, and here.
