Staging, It's Not Just About Pretty

 

 "Forget staging it has no value in the appraisal..... I look for updated kitchen and baths (if its an older home) condition of the exterior and interior. This will determine the effective age of your house. You can have a 35 year old house and never has been updated or very little and a effective age of 30 years and the same house next door that is 35 years old and completly remodeled with a effective age of 5 years. Appraisers look at condition and updated items. We also look for deferred maintenance like worn carpet, moss on the roof, bad gutters, house needs painting, bad roof, ect. if your house is in average conditon you will be fine. Your home is based on other comparables sales (withing the last 6 months) and within 1-2 miles of your home, with similar design....

This was part of a comment made by an appraiser responding to a blog question on whether a homeowner should Stage her house prior to her appraisal.  Staging as a part of home selling, to many, has no value. You may already see where I am going with this. 

I can't speak for what every appraiser looks at when evaluating a home but I have seen what some commented on and looked at when appraising my own homes for sale.

While we as Stagers don't get into evaluating the "bones" of a house (although I have  pointed out cracked and falling shingles visible from the street) we should and do address many of those things this particular appraiser mentioned. 

When a Professional Stager does a thorough consultation, these are some of the many things we look at and give objective observations on.  These "Staging" recommendations do affect the value of a home.  We help the homeowner determine which updates and fixes will affect their home value the most while spending the least. 

A good Stager has an understanding of these things. We are up on the latest trends and research what similar homes in a particular neighborhood have as far as cosmetic features too. If a house has laminate counters and most everyone else in the neighborhood has granite and modern faucets, does this affect the asking price of a home?  Size and location top of the list but condition is the other huge consideration.

A Staging consultation is about being brutally honest in an understanding and respectful way. It's not just about what curtains to hang and where the couch should go.  Preparing a home for sale is a time consuming process but more than that it is an investment. 

So as a seller or listing agent, would you rather be prepared to stack up against your competition saving time, money and possibly getting better offers or would you "Forget staging" ? 

No, pretty pots on the porch won't get you a higher appraisal, but fixing the cracked steps and painting your worn front door and replacing the hardware just may.

Staging is not just about the pretty.

AccentPositives provides effective and economical consultations on site and on line.  We service the Inland Empire area of Southern California.

 

 

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