Home Staging

Home staging has been used by real estate agents in the United States for a number of years. In fact it’s become so popular in the US that around 40% of agents insist on all of the homes they sell being staged. While it’s yet to get as popular in our local Brisbane property market, home staging should definitely be a selling technique on every property sellers’ radar.

What is home staging?

Home staging is also commonly referred to as home styling. Fundamentally home staging involves preparing a home for sale so that a potential buyer can mentally move in. A stylist and/or designer merchandises the property to capture the hearts and offers of potential buyers so that the property sells quickly, for the best price and with the least stress.

A home only gets one chance to make a great first impression on potential buyers. Home staging makes sure that this first impression is the best it can be. There are many different levels of home staging, from a thorough cleaning to a complete renovation.

What makes home staging a powerful selling technique?

• Home buyers shop with logic yet buy with emotion.
• Potential buyers often lack the knack of visualising how the home could look unless it’s staring them in the face.
• Buyers are busy and tend to look for homes that require minimal work.

Does home staging actually work?

The 2017 US National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Staging included the following impressive statistics:

• 39% of sales agents said staging greatly decreased the number of days a property was on the market
• 29% of agents reported an increase of 1% – 5% in the dollar value offered by buyers in comparison to similar homes
• 21% said the dollar value offered by buyers increased between 6% – 10%
• According to buyers’ agents, more than a third of buyers were more willing to overlook property faults when the home was staged

What can home staging do for me when selling my property?

For a small investment of time and money, homes that are staged can reap more rewards than ones that haven’t been staged.

By staging their home, sellers can attract buyers they may otherwise miss out on. For example, a long held property that’s old fashioned and unstaged may only attract flippers who want to buy it at a low price, make minor cosmetic changes, and then sell the property at a higher price. However, with a little staging the old fashioned home can be given a fresh look that has the potential to attract other market segments like first home buyers, young couples or young families.

A home staging specialist will help advise you on the following with regards to your property:

• Interior colours – interiors should be painted a light, warm and/or soothing colour. Lighter shades help buyers imagine their own items in the home.
• Natural light – styling to maximise the natural light of the property.
• Depersonalisation – remove any personal items like family photos. This makes it easier for buyers to picture themselves in the home.
• Decluttering – remove unnecessary or overly large furniture as it makes rooms feel smaller and darker.
• Furniture placement and function – place furniture to highlight architectural features of the home, such as a fireplace. Furniture should also define the function of each room, for example a dining table and chairs in a dining room.
• Emotional cues – intentionally decorating the space to help potential buyers picture how their new life would be in the home. Artful details such as flowers and lit candles can help buyers connect with the house in an emotional sense.

Why are real estate agents promoting home staging?

Home staging is slowly becoming a popular sales technique that more and more sales agents are using to help sellers achieve the best price. The advantages of home staging can be summed up as follows:

• Helps the buyer to visualise the property as their next home
• Boosts and enhances the visual marketing for the property by drawing attention to positive features and distracting attention away from negative features
• Increases the impact of professional photos of the home by showing space and concept for each room
• Highlights a home’s natural assets
• Helps the home stand out among competitors and other properties in the area or in a similar price range

All of these advantages typically lead to an increased chance of a faster sale and a higher price. And what seller doesn’t want that?!

Regardless of all its good work, home staging alone isn’t a miracle worker. If a seller really wants to get the best sales success they need to ensure that they price the property correctly and market it effectively. But staging and showcasing a beautiful home sure does help!

If you’re interested in staging your home in preparation for sale, Blockisdge Real Estate recommends Design Vision. Revy Bryce Browning, owner of Design Vision, has over 25 years of experience and has won many awards for her design work.

If you’re in the market for a new home, have a look at our current properties for sale here.