First Impressions are EVERYTHING. Especially in the real estate market. You may be thinking that you can skip the staging because of the the current robust seller’s market, but not so fast. In order to get top dollar and to increase the likelihood of getting multiple offers, you will need to stage.
In fact, here are the latest statistics from the 2021 Report from the National Association of Realtors underscoring the power of staging.
- Forty-seven percent of buyers’ agents cited that home staging had an effect on most buyers’ view of the home.
- Eighty-two percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.
- Staging the living room was found to be very important for buyers (46%), followed by staging the master bedroom (43%), and staging the kitchen (35%).
Staging your home can be a bit of a long process which The Cueny Team will walk you through. But there are multiple things you can do to get your home ready to in advance. In short, there are many stages to staging.
Listed below are several of the most important.
EXTERIOR
Remember potential buyers see your exterior first. Even if they are looking virtually, (as this is commonly the first stop for home buyers) there are always exterior shots making it critical that you nail the curb appeal.
Curb appeal is not one thing. It’s multiple things.
- Cleanliness – the actual home, porch, mailbox, driveway all need to be freshly pressure washed and cleaned.
- Landscaping – Trim overgrown trees and bushes which can dwarf the size of your home. Beds need to be neatly edged and mulched and can serve as a perfect opportunity to introduce some color via seasonal flowers.
- Refresh – Other ideas are to repaint the front door, replace the house numbers, change up the front porch lighting, and add a new welcome mat.
INTERIOR
Edit and Then Edit Some More
As dear as your possessions are to you, chances are they will not make your home show well. In other words, what may be perfectly fine for living in your space, is not necessarily appropriate for showing your space.
Here’s a list of items to pare down.
- Clutter – Let’s face it almost all of us have it. Professional organizers recommend three piles for sorting clutter. Toss, Donate and Keep. Even if you decide to keep, you may want to pack way and then remove from your home. People who are by nature “keepers” sometimes rent a temporary space to house their things in until they have officially moved.
- Furniture – Andrea and her team can advise you on this one, but with less furniture your home can show much larger – and that’s ALWAYS preferable to potential buyers.
- Accessories – Remove excess pillows, plants, art, and items like small appliances from kitchen counters.
- Depersonalize – Andrea and her team wholeheartedly agree with industry experts that you must depersonalize. The end goal is to have potential buyers envision themselves and their families living in the space. Your family’s artwork, photos, trophies, and other personal effects are obstacles to that vision. You can keep your keepsakes… just not in the home you are trying to sell.
For a detailed list of professionals that can help you with packing, moving, painting and other aspects of staging you home, see The Cueny Team’s Concierge Page where you’ll find lots of helpful resources.
For more tips on staging your home, or for any other real estate questions, please contact The Cueny Team. They are your North Atlanta team.
