How to Stage a Home Office.

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Advantage Realty FA100041320

How to Stage a Home Office. Staging a Colorado Springs home officeis pretty much the same in Minneapolis, as it is in Phoenix, or Seattle.

 

When you’re flipping channels with the remote and land on the Travel Channel do you pause for just a second to see where they are? How about HGTV House Hunters International? Wait…. don’t turn it, lets  see if it’s a country I’m interested in, how much can you get for your money, and what’s it like to live there? 

 

Buyers love to imagine what life is like living in homes for sell. This emotion connects them positively (or not) to your home. And, when they’re emotionally connected, an offer soon follows.  Consider how staging your home office can make a positive, emotional connection to your Buyers.

 

1.     De-clutter/sort/pack. You knew that was coming. Then, donate/discard/store/repurpose. Can’t be stressed enough (especially in the home office), box it up and get it out of sight. What emotion are you feeling here?

 

2.     Cords need to be corralled and any equipment (old printers, monitors) not absolutely necessary for daily work stored away. Don't add to their stress level looking at your mess.

 

3.     Clean, clean and clean, again. For sure, the noisy metal blinds... and that goes for wood, vinyl, etc. Wiping your fingers on those can be a red flag to Buyers - better move along.

 

4.     Desks and office chairs should not be pushed up against the wall. This does not create the illusion of space. More welcoming is a “meet and greet” placement. Shown here.

 

This home staged and sold by Front Porch Interiors in 63 days.

 

5.     To create that emotional connection, use travel visual cues, such as: large-scale maps, globes, or a couple of framed, blown-up photos of truly interesting travel destinations. Haven't been anywhere special? Use a magazine or travel catalog page to mat/frame. Or, take a walk at a nearby park, lake, maybe the backyard. You'd be amazed at how exotic a close-up shot of a branch can be.

 

If you don’t have a dedicated room for a home office, carve out a corner of the bedroom or living room to show how the space can be multi-functional as well as efficient.

 

Its fun to be transformed to another place, take Buyers on a ride when touring your home. It’s what makes your place memorable, and hopefully, sold.

Posted by

 

Colorado Springs Realtor

 Front Porch Real Estate

Front Porch Team Real Estate & Property Styling | kimgaston719@gmail.com

If you'd like to know how we can creatively stage and sell your home for the most money in the shortest time,

please call me at 719-661-6987.  

To view inspiring Before & After staging photos, visit my portfolio at:  www.FrontPorchInteriors.com

 

 follow me on linkedin    facebook     Pinterest 

Comments (22)

Sally Weatherley
EXIT STAGE RIGHT - Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Home Staging, Home Stager Vancouver, B.C

Kim - Great tips here.  It's always a bonus when there's an office slipped in somewhere.  Love the idea of large maps and globes in an office - makes you dream of far away places, even if you know your task is really to write a report or go over your books!

Jan 13, 2012 02:46 AM
Gary L. Waters Broker Associate, Bucci Realty
Bucci Realty, Inc. - Melbourne, FL
Fifteen Years Experience in Brevard County

Excellent advice here. After spending the past two days showing homes as well as having the next three days all scheduled already I can't tell you how many folks need help with this!

Jan 13, 2012 02:52 AM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

Thank you, Kristine. This area, in particular, can get out of control quickly when your house is on the market. Hard to stay on top of the paper trail, but so necessary to sell the space.

Hi Sally. With so many more folks working from home, its a "value-add" to selling your home. Dreaming can be a powerful emotion for Buyers to experience standing in your space. On the other hand, I'm often guilty of what you mentioned - daydreaming :)

Thanks so much, Gary. I have to wonder if the Sellers feel its a room they can slack off a little and Buyers will be forgiving? No forgiveness there... they just don't make an offer.

 

Jan 13, 2012 03:33 AM
Roger D. Mucci
Shaken...with a Twist 216.633.2092 - Euclid, OH
Lets shake things up at your home today!

Shake it up and give it a new twist, that's what I always say and I see that's what you've done!  Excellent Kim.

Jan 13, 2012 05:49 AM
Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging
Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR - Portland, OR
"Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"

Hi Kim ~ If the home is occupied, as in your photos, it's usually possible to designate either a spare bedroom or part of another larger room as office/desk space.  Using appropriate props from around the house and being creative makes sure that buyers will connect with it, too.  Nice examples!!

Jan 13, 2012 06:35 AM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

Why, thank you, Roger! Love your company name.

Thanks, Maureen. That's very true. I've had a couple of stagings where we made an office area in the living room (second example above) with an occasional or sofa table as a desk and a dining or fun, accent chair.

Jan 13, 2012 10:27 AM
Janet Jones
Just Your Style Interiors, LLC - Kihei, HI
Home Staging, Interior Redesign Kihei, Maui, Hawaii

Hi Kim--both rooms look so much better with the help of your great staging.  I think one of personal dislikes is seeing the back of a desk chair when I enter a room.  The positioning of the furniture in both spaces is so much more appealing.  Nice work. 

Jan 13, 2012 04:04 PM
Kathy Nielsen
http://atlantahomestaging.net - Marietta, GA
Atlanta Georgia Home Stager

These are great examples, Kim. I especially like the map on the wall. Congrats on getting it sold in 63 days!

And...

Congratulations. Your home staging is being featured in the group Staging Before and After Pictures.

Kathy

Jan 13, 2012 11:26 PM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

Thanks so much for the compliment, Janet. I agree, nothing says "you're not welcome to come in" than the back of a chair - almost like a person with their back turned towards you.

Kathy, Thank you very much for featuring this blog. I was really happy for the homeowners to get an offer in 2 months and be able to move their young family back closer to relatives.

Jan 14, 2012 01:52 AM
Beth Lester
Beth Lester Designs - Torrance, CA
Home Staging & Interior Decorating

Love the idea of the map on the wall.  I think I'll put my Road Atlas out  next time. 

Thanks for the ne ideas!

Jan 14, 2012 05:48 AM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

Ha! My dad gave me his road atlas a few years ago and I couldn't believe how many scribbles and notes he'd made. Its a little like a journal - kind of fun actually. Thanks for coming over, Beth.

Jan 15, 2012 04:06 AM
Wendy Tomm
Beyond the Walls - East St Paul, MB
CCSP, RESA-PRO, BBB - Wpg Realtors

Great points on preparing to stage an office.  Thanks for sharing

 

Jan 17, 2012 02:22 AM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

Thank you, Wendy. Home offices lend themselves well to all things "travel".

Jan 17, 2012 03:05 PM
Kathy Strader
Memorial Staged Homes - Houston, TX
ASP

Nice job!  I always say, "Buyers shop with logic, but they buy with emotion."

Jan 18, 2012 08:05 AM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

So true, Kathy. Purchasing a home has always been an emotional purchase for me, so in staging, I consider how to make that emotional connection.

Jan 18, 2012 04:19 PM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
New Hampshire Home Stager

Cluttered offices are usually something that sellers don't expect to have to stage...they assume that "it's an office, it's supposed to look this way....I've heard that one many times before!  Your advice is fabulous and I love that picture showing the desk behind the sofa!

Jan 19, 2012 03:52 AM
Sebastian Barrett St.Troy
Austin Market-Ready Services, Home Staging and Real Estate - Austin, TX

Kim; I really liked the second arrangement of the living area.  Although I agree that the office was a huge transormation, there are times when furniture placed at an angle doesn't really showcase a space.  From a Feng Shui perspective, the power seat always has a clear view of the door that enters the room.  Thanks for sharing.

Jan 19, 2012 11:16 AM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

Thank you, Sharon. Home offices certainly increase the value in a prospective Buyer's eyes, they need to be appealing, not cluttered.

Hi Sebastian. I appreciate hearing the Feng Shui perspective. The desk and office chair are at an angle, that's true, but they're facing the door that enters the room....is that enough of a clear view, or do you mean the desk is in the way of the view? Thanks for "clearing" this up:) 

Jan 20, 2012 01:59 AM
Kim Gaston
RE/MAX Advantage Realty - Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs REALTOR®, CNE (719)661-6987

There are times I'm right there with you, Valerie. Thanks for stopping by.

Feb 08, 2012 11:05 AM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Kim, I don't know if you've written about this before but I would love to know where you got the idea for the name Front Porch Interiors. Living in TN, I have a very large front porch that I absolutely love. I have always thought I would like to incorporate that into my business but never knew how. Please share your story sometime.

Feb 18, 2012 11:48 AM

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