Virtually every home being placed on the market can benefit from staging, regardless of its price point or decorating style. The reality is, the way we live in a home and market a house for sale are likey to be very different. Does your dining room look like it is used for festive family gatherings or have the appearance of a home office? Is your master bedroom a welcoming retreat or is it the most neglected room in the house? Does your house have curb appeal? You get the idea. Most sellers cannot view their house objectively in order to maximize its appeal to potential buyers. We get used to the way it looks and have difficulty detaching emotionally in order to make changes that could improve the selling experience.
This is where we come in. A professional stager can view your home objectively in order to market it effectively. Staging "depersonalizes" the space and creates an emotional connection so a buyer can imagine living in the home. It highlights the best features while downplaying the negatives. Professionally staged homes sell quicker and/or for more money than comparable un-staged homes.
Timing of staging is critical as well. It is optimal to stage the home before it is placed on the market. Buyers have high expectations when they view photos of a listing online or walk through the door at an open house. You only get one opportunity to make a first impression--make it count! Buyers form an attitude towards a home within seconds. Many potential buyers do not even make it in the front door because a home lacks curb appeal. The majority of homebuyers cannot visualize the potential of a home if it is in "AS IS" condition. Unfortunately, many sellers consider staging only after their home has been sitting on the market for months without an offer. While this strategy will ultimately result in a sale, it will not maximize the greatest financial benefit, nor will it get the potential buyers back that were lost early on. The truth is, the longer a home stays on the market, the lower the selling price will be. In this current "buyer's market", staging is an effective tool to give you an edge over the competition.
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