The Importance of Staging in Today’s Real Estate Market
I am giving the “stage” this month to my wife, Denise, who is our team’s in-house stager. I think you will find her insights and thoughts of interest if you are thinking about bringing your home to market.
“Staging a home in today’s real estate market has become an important consideration when presenting one’s home to potential buyers. Buyers aren’t just looking for a structure to inhabit – they’re looking to fulfill their dreams and improve their lifestyles. Staging helps sell those dreams and creates a more emotional purchase that can generate more money for the seller.
Most buyers begin their home search on-line and true to form, “pictures speak a thousand words” in their initial choice to visit your home or not. Therefore, the way that a home looks through the eye of the camera and then on-line is of critical importance. And once buyers have selected homes that they want to visit, they will often know within the first few seconds of entering a home if it is a stronger contender.
Our years of experience show that on average a staged home sells much faster and for more money than ones that are not staged. The exception to that can be those homes that are already beautifully appointed, designed and tastefully furnished by their owners.
Stagers can and often do use a client’s existing furnishings and accessories but may suggest that some pieces are moved around or removed altogether and stored to create balance and space. They will also let the client know what they need to be undertaken in the way of de-cluttering, cleaning and possible “fixes” ahead of the actual stage such as painting, repairs, new light fixtures etc. The stager will then supplement the owner’s furnishings and accessories with pieces that give colour, texture and focus. When staging one needs to be focused on appealing to a broad audience and taking away as many objections as possible.
For some buyers, staging can help them conceptualize better how they will plan out their own furniture. It is also true that staging lets a seller show the usefulness of a strangely shaped room by demonstrating a different use or layout of that room.
There are some companies now that offer virtual staging where they will add furniture electronically to your photos if the property is vacant or sparcely furnished. There is a caution to going this route though because while the photos may look great online, the buyer could get to the house and feel disappointed seeing an empty home.
To summarize, staging a home is just that – it’s presenting your home on a stage so that it showcases your property to as many potential buyers as possible but also bearing in mind the probable demographic that will be drawn to your area. A staged home creates a compelling first impression by highlighting its best features and creating a welcoming atmosphere that causes a potential buyer to linger and imagine themselves living there.”
by Denise Chaulk
Wayne Chaulk
Real Estate Agent
www.chaulkrealestate.com
