Printable DIY Staging Guide
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Staging Your Home with Advantage

What is Home Staging?

Home staging is the act of preparing a residence prior to going on the market for sale. The goal of staging is to sell a home quickly, and for the most money possible by attracting the highest amount of potential buyers.

Staging focuses on improving a property to make it appeal to the largest amount of buyers by transforming it into a welcoming, appealing, and attractive product for sale. Staging may raise the value of a property by way of reducing the home’s flaws, de-personalizing, de-cluttering, cleaning, improving the condition of items and landscaping. For vacant homes, rental furniture is used to create a living space the buyer could “see” themselves living in. Properly executed staging leads the eye to attractive features while minimizing flaws.

Why stage your home?

Staged Homes Sell Faster – Statistics reflect that staged homes sell 30-50% faster in most areas. Remember, it is also true that the longer a home is on the market, the more likely that a price reduction will be necessary. This thought has already crossed the buyers mind and they will be looking to find out why…What’s wrong with this house?

Good First Impression – The first impression a home makes is more often than not the one the buyers walk away with.

It Doesn’t Take Long – It’s a well proven fact that buyers usually make up their mind in less than a minute on whether they want a particular home or not. With that in mind, it is critical that the outside of your home gets the same attention as the inside. If the buyer likes the home they are going to validate or reject that fact within the next 20 minutes. That 20 minutes is directly affected by the effort that went in to staging (or not staging) a home.

Take Away the Guess Work – Staged homes help the buyers see themselves in it by appearing to be ready to move in. Buyers place a great deal of importance on this factor in light of “all the other work” that has to be accomplished to move into a new home. A well staged home says …I’m ready for you!

Paint the Full Picture – The vast majority of buyers cannot visualize what a home can be. They only see what is in front of them and if it is cluttered, dirty, and outdated, that is all they see. If they can see what it can become, the seller will not be penalized in the buyers mind for the work and cost it will take to get it to what they visualize it to be.

Beat the Competition – Staged home just sell faster and for more money. Besides, Agents LOVE to show beautifully staged homes so the seller ultimately gets more exposure. Staged homes have a competitive advantage over homes that are not staged.

It Appraises Better - Appraisers tend to see staged homes in a more positive light and are more likely to appraise the home higher than a similar home that is not staged.