Staging a Home is Now Vital!

This article is republished from the Southland Regional Association of REALTORS(R) website.

The house could be identical to dozens of others in the same neighborhood, yet prospective buyers wind up captivated by one particular home.

Why does this house sell faster and at a higher price than its twin just down the street? Why do buyers fall in love with this particular home?

An experienced real estate licensee can instantly spot the magic - staging.

It's up to the real estate professional to persuade home sellers to let them properly stage a house, to find perfection that captures a buyer's heart and imagination.

Staging is much more than merely sprucing up a house with the essentials, the basics of painting, cleaning and getting rid of clutter.

Staging requires all the skills of a top designer. It adds fine detail that appeals to all five senses. It creates moods. It makes a house inviting, appealing, and comfort-able. Staging paints a sensuous portrait.

A home that is priced right and staged properly typically will sell for more and in half the time it takes to move others.

Unlike just a short while ago when sellers did not have to do anything to sell a home, now every advantage is needed to make a house stand out from the competition. Real estate pros and savvy home sellers under-stand that staging is a vital piece of the modern residential housing marketing scheme.

The cost of staging a home can run from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars depending on the location, size of the house and list price. Yet, whatever is spent, staging typically winds up being a short-term, high-yield investment that produces an equal or greater return within a matter of months.

Experienced real estate professionals know how much staging is enough. If the real estate licensee lacks the flair and expertise to stage a home on their own, then they need to find an accredited staging professional who can assist the home owner.

Once the decision to stage is made, the process can be completed within a matter of days.
Sometimes, all the current furnishings go into storage to be replaced by pieces that create themes for each space and accomplish specific goals:

• Make living rooms light and fresh
• Highlight lots of space in closets
• Bring a five-star hotel quality to bathrooms
• Create bedrooms that are comfortable and inviting
• Make the kitchen the focal point of the house, a room that is functional, modern and fun.

While not every home seller can afford to hire a professional stager, most real estate professionals can offer basic tips and techniques.

• Furniture can be arranged into a vignette that evokes a particular feeling.
• Silk or satin swatches that create a feeling of softness and comfort can be draped over chairs, making a space warm and inviting.
• Fresh cut sprigs can be brought indoors to add freshness while hinting at a backyard's beauty.

Like the best set designers or playwrights, staging is the art of creating a mood. When done properly, staging will make a buyer want to keep the house exactly as presented, keeping everything, changing nothing. It's beyond decorating and cleaning. Like a magician, staging is about creating an illusion, an illusion that speeds the sale of a home.