The first impression you give of your home will have a huge impact on a buyer’s decision. Making sure that a potential buyer feels a connection to your home is impactful, and as experienced Realtors in the Midcoast, we know the tricks of the trade to make them fall in love.
A home’s days on the market can be reduced significantly with the right amount of staging. We like to think of it as “playing to the senses” of potential buyers. If we can captivate what they see, what they smell, what they hear and what they feel, the buyer becomes invested emotionally, which makes it more difficult to walk away.
Why Is it Important to Stage a Home for Sale?
When a buyer walks into your home, we want them to immediately feel like it could be their home. We don’t want to create just a pretty house; we want it to feel warm and inviting.
Prior to staging, the house must be decluttered and cleaned, giving special attention to areas with high pet traffic. It’s easy to get used to things we see (and smell) every day, so walk through each room and try to experience it as though it’s the first time.
But if the rooms are empty, they look sterile with no personality. It’s a balancing act — a little personality goes a long way. Your mantra should be: “Keep it simple” as you pursue the goal of creating universal appeal. What does that mean? Potential buyers should be able to picture how the rooms will work for their lives and their furniture.
How to Stage Your Home
- Pack away personal pictures and mementos. Feature a few pieces of tasteful artwork and decor.
- Maximize the home’s space. That includes using any awkward, small space to its full potential, for instance, as a reading nook. Don’t let any space feel neglected. A buyer’s view of a room’s usage can be totally changed by the way it is staged, such as showing how that extra bedroom can be used as a home office.
- Don’t forget the outdoors. Having an outdoor space that showcases how it can be used for entertaining helps buyers to imagine the possibilities of that porch, deck, fire pit, or well-kept lawn.
- Add pops of color. Maximalism in staging means adding color and texture to a room through the use of accessories. But remember your mantra, and combine these touches with that neutral base.
- Stage for the senses. It’s important to consider the potential buyer’s experience with smells and sounds. After cleaning to remove bad odors (don’t just cover them up with a spray), consider adding a vase of fresh flowers or baking cookies. If the home is near a busy street, keep windows closed and consider putting on soft music.
It Pays to Stage
The numbers don’t lie. The National Association of Realtors reports a whopping 81% of buyers’ agents agree that staging a home made it easier for their buyers to picture the home as their own; the most important rooms to stage are living room, kitchen and primary bedroom.
And 75% of sellers agree that they see a return on their investment of 1-5% when they stage their home — and up to 20% more on the sale price — according to Architectural Digest.
We Can Help
At City + Harbor Real Estate, we stay up to date on the latest trends in home staging. We are happy to provide any guidance you may need, including tips for decluttering, suggestions about which repairs make good financial sense before listing, and many other useful resources.
Whether you are looking to sell or buy a new home in Midcoast Maine, we offer a full range of services, and are able to recommend some of our favorite banks and lenders in the Midcoast. Give us a call today if you are looking for a new home or ready to sell your old home.