If you’re considering selling your home, you’ve most likely heard of home staging. It’s a service that prepared a home to go on the market and make the best impression on potential buyers. Staging costs in the range of $1,000 to $5,000, and, unfortunately, a lot of people decide they don’t need it.
It’s a fact that staged homes sell faster and for more money than non-staged or vacant homes. Empty homes, even luxury properties with beautiful finishes, look cold and washed-out in photos. The rooms even look smaller. Lived-in homes can look cluttered and unappealing to buyers. A home should be shown in a way that prospective buyers can see themselves living there, and staging helps people do that.
Here are five popular myths about home staging that don’t hold water.
Myth #1: A home stager only touches the interior of the house.
Reality: A professional home stager thinks about the impression a potential buyer will receive from the moment he/she pulls up and parks the car. That means the yard and garage may also need major changes. Curb appeal is key to making people stop the car.
Myth #2: Home staging and home decorating are basically the same. If you’ve had your home professionally decorated, you don’t need to stage it.
Reality: While many professionals can do both home staging and home decorating, the two are very different in their process, aesthetic and desired outcome.
Myth #3: Only expensive homes deserve staging.
Reality: No matter what price point a house has, it should be shown to its full potential if the seller expects to get top-dollar.
Myth #4: A clean house is a staged house.
Reality: Cleaning is paramount to a well-staged home but it doesn’t carry the sale itself. Smells also impact the buyer experience. People subconsciously rely on smells when making a decision. Cigarette smells and strong food odors are key turn-offs to buyers. People also have negative reactions to strong pet smells.
Myth #5: Buyers will want to do their own renovations and painting so the seller doesn’t need to do them prior to putting the home on the market.
Reality: Every discolored or chipped bathtub, old carpet, dingy paint or broken appliance will have a negative for a potential buyer. For every flaw, buyers are thinking whether they should adjust their offer—and whether they’re going to need to fix the flaw before or during move-in. Most people would rather have their home move-in ready.
If you’re considering a move, spend the money to hire a professional stager. You’ll recoup the expensive by a fast sale and probably at a higher-than-list price. I have some recommendations to pass along too. Just give me a call. 301-320-8349 or 703-963-0142
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Categories: Advice, Selling a home, Staging
