Model Homes Are Staged Homes

Last weekend I attended the Hudson Home & Garden Tour (Ohio). It was my first time attending and I was so impressed at how beautifully organized and orchestrated the event was.

From the program I noted that there were 5 homes to tour and 8 gardens. The day was lovely, sunny and breezy. I thought I would view the homes first and as many as the gardens as I could before lunch. At the first home, I waited in line almost ½ hour. At the remaining homes, the lines got longer and the sun hotter but the crowds were increasing and no one was complaining! Why? The prospect of viewing beautiful homes was worth the time and discomfort. My morning itinerary stretched to late afternoon and I had only seen 4 of the 5 houses and one garden, but it was a delightful experience.

Model homes do their job!

Do builder's in your area host a ‘Parade of Homes' or ‘Home-arama's'? This is when a group of builder's organize an open-house event of their newly built homes, frequently on a cul-de-sac. If you ever attended such an event, some of the homes are decorated and some are not. Which homes have waiting lines? The decorated ones, of course! Why? We love to view beautiful homes! Over the years I have attended many of these events and have personally known of homes that were sold on the spot, while the show was still in progress! Model homes do their job!

Before hiring a designer to decorate their homes, many builder's invest a healthy chunk of money to analyze their target market. This information is then passed onto the interior designer so that the home will 'show' its best to the target market.

Because the principles are the same and you can identify your target market just by asking your Realtor! Does the house you're selling have 3-4 bedrooms and is it in a desirable school district? Then it will probably appeal to families. Do you have a one-level floor plan or basement-less house? Then your house will probably appeal to retirees. Do you live in a historic home with great woodwork and architectural detail? Many people, of all ages love the charm of an older home.

Armed with your Realtor's insight, you can then plan on how to 'show' your home! If appealing to families, make sure the bedrooms and closets feel spacious by thinning out anything extra that takes up visual space. Retirees who have mobility problems will also be looking for lots of space for perhaps walkers or scooters. (My parents are in such a position!) If you live in an older home, maximize the charm of the home by using colors that highlight the woodwork. Or paint a high ceiling a soft pastel to bring attention to the original light fixture you may have or crown molding.

Yes, it will require work. However, you have a special friend who can make this load lighter for you as well as expertly knowing what to do for your unique home and target market. That, of course, is a Home Stager.

At the initial consultation, a Stager will knowledgably assess the unique characteristics of your home. I can tell you from experience, that while I am talking to the homeowner, my mind is going a hundred-miles-a-minute thinking of all the ways I can make the house look great. 'Move this here, change that there, group those things over there'. My mind just goes into race-mode. Then the excitement begins to build! I know I can do a great job, make this house shine compared to others I know of in the neighborhood and I am hoping, hoping, hoping that I get the job so that the homeowner can proudly put their house up for sale.

Walking into homes on the Home & Garden Tour last weekend or when attending a Parade of Homes, I see lots of smiles. Staging your house can create those same smiles. People will sit down, linger and imagine living in their new home. With your Realtor and your Stager on your team, you can successfully optimize your home's ranking in the market and in buyer's minds.

The Seller

The Buyer

The Agent