What's the Deal with Home Staging Anyway?

(As originally seen on http://www.AmyShair.com/blog) Staging is more than just a buzz word in today's real estate market. If you sold your home 10+ years ago staging might be a foreign word. The reality is that staging is a necessity to get your home sold in a buyer's market.

The definition of home staging is: The act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money. Staging techniques focus on improving a property's appeal by transforming it into a welcoming, attractive product that anyone might want. (Wikipedia)

Staging includes making every part of your home look its best so that the homebuyers will feel your home is in move-in condition. Homebuyers in today's market do not want to make the changes and they expect the sellers to have done the work. Why? Because there are too many homes to choose from and they feel that it is a buyer's market so they should be able to move right in without having to spend much money. If they are interested in doing work, they will be looking at handyman specials, short sales and foreclosures which are sold at discount prices.

1) Staging includes all aspects of the home a buyer can see including the outside, landscaping, the look of the home from the street (aka - curb appeal), interior furnishings, paint, flooring, and lighting.

2) By far the most common staging recommendation is to declutter. Sellers usually know they need to declutter but in most cases do not clean out enough of their accessories, books or furniture. Or they move the items into the closets or (even worse) the garage. Buyers need a clean, organized look to envision themselves living in your home. You don't want buyers to be distracted or unable to see all areas of your home, including storage areas such as the attic, basement and the garage.

3) Painting is another common necessity. Staging makes a home into a house. Buyers buy a house and then make it into their home with their furniture and accessories. So, your custom colors that look great with your décor are not conducive to selling your home. Even though all your friends comment how great your wall colors are, you still need to neutralize your home to get it sold. A National Association of Realtors survey from 2009 says 93% of all homeowners start their search on the internet so rest assured they will look at photos of your home online before seeing your home in person. If you have different colors or one strong wall color in a room, 
buyers will label your home "the purple house" or "the rainbow house" - you do not want to be that house!

4) Wallpaper always needs to be removed - buyers do not like wallpaper or wallpaper borders. As Dr. Suess would say - They do not like it in the kitchen, they do not like it in the bathroom, and they do not like it in the baby nursery.

Home Staging can be an important aspect of selling your home.