It is not the same to sell an empty house than with a little life. And if this house is also tastefully decorated and distributed by professionals, it becomes a winning horse. Home staging has been a pillar of the US real estate sector for many years and is increasingly established in Spain. From BCN Advisors they have prepared a guide that will help you understand why this technique will help you sell your house much faster and at a lower price.
Is it worth investing money in decorating a house?
If you’re thinking about selling your home, you may be wondering if it’s really necessary to spend money professionally decorating it. But, if you want to get the best price for your home and sell it quickly, many believe that home staging should be considered an investment rather than an expense.
“There is a misconception that home staging is an expensive and avoidable expense. It is a winning tactic and staging professionals do not stop demonstrating it with their work, adding great value to the sale of a property and reducing the loss of money for sellers. The biggest mistake is forgetting about home staging and not designing a winning sales strategy before putting the property up for sale”, explains Mónica Renau, founder of Markham Stagers.
“In Spain, sellers come to us for help when the house has been on the market for months or even years without receiving offers, picking up price reductions and causing a lot of frustration when they should have come before going on the market. We have had several cases where that same house was sold within a few weeks after we decorated it. Over the years, properties tend to accumulate objects and become more personal, and sellers do not realize how much appearance, style or aesthetics affect the sale. Tidying up the house is important, but it is often not enough to get the most out of a home when trying to sell it well”, adds the expert.
Types of home staging
Physical home staging consists of placing the furniture and decoration of a property to show its best attributes. Buyers tend to have a more personal experience, as a greater emotional connection is established between the home and the buyer. It also helps potential buyers understand how the space can be used and how their own furniture could fit into each room. The downside is that physical staging costs more and takes more time than virtual.
There is also the possibility of virtual home staging. Virtual (or digital) staging uses online techniques to show a house without the need for physical home staging. It allows the buyer to imagine what the house would be like thanks to a virtual tour. You can create walls of different colors, furniture and accessories of different styles and sizes, or even a totally new kitchen. This type of staging allows the potential buyer to see how a space can be made more attractive with some investment. Virtual staging saves time and money, is more flexible, and can increase online engagement, which attracts more views. The downside is that it can create unrealistic expectations for buyers and they may be disappointed when they see the property in person.
Let’s take a look at the main benefits of home staging your property:
Benefits of home staging
There are numerous studies that show that a home that has been professionally decorated sells for a higher price and more quickly. It is difficult to say exactly how much value is added to a property when it is decorated but, depending on the starting price, the number of rooms that have been decorated and the elements used, it can be up to €100,000 for luxury properties. Sellers are much more likely to get at least their asking price. When a home has been given a makeover with good quality furniture and furnishings, it increases its perceived value. If a home has been on the market for a long time, potential buyers may think it has a problem.
Regardless of the market situation, a good photograph always attracts more people. Even the best photographers can only capture what’s in front of them, and a professional real estate stylist will know exactly which angles and colors make photos pop and which ones will drive more inquiries. The more visits your property has, the more likely it will be sold for the price you want and in the term you had in mind.
One of the key tasks that a home staging company will perform is to de-personalize your property. All personal items, such as family photos or specific artwork, need to be removed so prospective buyers can envision living in their new home. Furnishings need to be stylish yet neutral, so buyers can visualize that they can put their “stamp” on their new property.
It is not necessary to decorate every room. In general, it is recommended to decorate the living room, the dining room and the kitchen, since they are the rooms that tend to have the most impact and often a wow factor. There are many tricks to make a room appear more spacious, such as lightening the color of the walls, leaving more space on the floor and allowing more natural light to enter. A real estate home staging professional will look at your house with different eyes. As they walk through it, they can imagine where the buyer’s eye will go, and also see which features to highlight and which to divert. If you have been living in your house for several years, it may be difficult for you to achieve this, since it is common to see your house in a certain way. For example, you may miss the paint chips, but potential buyers will see it all and think about the costs of the renovation.
Is it better to prepare a house or leave it empty?
“Another big mistake we often see is in new or refurbished properties where developers and investors try to sell them empty. They take for granted that being new is enough to sell. Empty properties do not attract the buyer. There is no emotional connection with empty rooms and blank walls, they all look the same, so empty properties tend to stay on the market longer, which increases the risk of frequent drop in price”, adds Mónica Renau.
Clear the house and start packing to move
A move can be a very long process, but if you use your time well during the sales process, you will avoid having to pack your bags at the last minute. If you do home staging, your job will be easier when it’s time to move, since the process includes sorting, packing and removing personal items.
Home staging relieves the stress of the sale
Selling your home is one of the most stressful activities, so anything that can lessen that feeling should be welcome. Having someone take control and help you through the sales process will lighten the load and hopefully get you to where you want to be more quickly.
If you decide not to use a home staging company, there are always things a seller can do to improve the look and feel of their property, such as:
Clear and depersonalize. Get some storage boxes and throw away the things you don’t need. Better yet: throw them away, recycle them, or donate them to charity.
Give a coat of paint to the walls. Brightening a room with a coat of paint is a quick fix. Colors should be neutral or warm.
Organize the garden or the terrace. The outdoor space should never be neglected, as it is often the first impression a potential buyer gets of their new home.
Discard wilted plants and empty pots and replace them with healthy plants and flowers. Clean the driveway with a pressure hose and repaint the front door.
Source : Idealist
