SELLING YOUR HOUSE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN SELLING YOUR CAR ... IS IT? 

Whether it’s going to become a trade-in or whether you’re selling it yourself, you’ll want to take the time to give your car a little TLC before putting the “For Sale” sign in the window.  Why?  Because everyone knows that a little effort goes a long way in increasing the perceived value of a car that’s for sale.  We all know what goes into prepping a car for sale.  You wash it, wax it, vacuum and shampoo the carpets.  You have it checked out by a reputable mechanic and address any repairs that are needed.  You put air in the tires and polish the chrome.  If you really want your car to show as close to “showroom new” as possible, you’ll want to remove your own personal stamps of ownership, which includes anything from stuffed animals in the rear window to the Dixie flag on your antenna to the political bumper stickers plastered all over your rear end … okay, your car’s rear end.  You remove your personal effects by emptying the glove box and the trunk.  And don’t forget a spritz of that “new car smell” and the Armor-All on the tires.  In this way, selling a home could be similar to selling a car.

 In the end, the price you get for the car depends a lot on its age and its mileage.  But the condition of the car and how well it shows are also big factors.  You get a higher price for a car that is well maintained, clean, road-ready, and doesn’t require a lot of work or repairs. 

However, there is one HUGE difference between selling a car and selling a house: 

All of these serve to educate a car buyer and give them a front-seat view of what their experience might be in owning that car.  Too bad the same isn’t true when selling your house.  Unfortunately, your house is not featured in national television commercials aired during Super Bowl and Prime Time.  There are no “your house” showrooms in every city across the nation.  There are no glossy brochures or slick advertising campaigns depicting family life in the house you’re selling.  A buyer can’t move in and test-drive your house for a week (unless you’re lucky enough to get on HGTV’s Sleep On It).  And chances are, the buyer has never previously owned a house exactly like the one you’re selling.  What does all of this mean? 

For your number-one commodity, there is NO BRAND RECOGNITION, NO BRAND LOYALTY, NO BRAND TRUST between the buying public and your house.  So then it becomes necessary to “SELL” your home.  By that, I mean you need to use effective home merchandising and property presentation to convince a buyer that your one-of-a-kind property, your needle in a haystack, is the one they need/want/can’t live without. 

And your property IS one of a kind.  There may be other houses with the same floor plan, but they don’t sit on the same lot.  There may be similar lots, but they’re landscaped differently.  Your property is one of a kind, and no one recognizes, trusts or is loyal to your “brand.” 

Doesn’t it make sense, then, to educate buyers about your brand?  Doesn’t it make sense to show buyers the potential that lies within your one-of-a-kind property with the use of effective home merchandising and property presentation?  And what better way to execute effective home merchandising and property presentation, otherwise known as home staging, than by hiring a professional home stager.

A professional home stager is trained in the art of showcasing your home’s potential.  The focal points, architectural features and square footage in your home are already there, and you can probably count on your real estate agent to list them when marketing your home.  But are you showcasing the features, focal points and square footage properly?  Are you sure?  Is your home a standout in the crowd?  What about the photographs of your home online?  Do they accurately portray everything that is great about your home?  Are you sure?  Why not remove the question mark.  Professional home staging takes your listing to another level and goes way beyond just ticking off a home’s features and photographing it as-is.  Many home stagers provide photography and slide show services as a part of the total home staging package, which can (and should) be used to market your home.  Don't leave your home's potential to a buyer's imagination.

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Room Revisions provides home staging and interior redesign services to the Greater Fredericksburg Region, including Fredericksburg City and the counties of Stafford, Spotsylvania, Orange, King George and surrounding areas.  Visit our website for more information on how we may help you get your house sold.