By Cheryl Smith
It may be tempting to leave your home exactly as you have lived in it when you decide to list for sale, or to remove everything and show it completely vacant. However, both strategies can increase the length of time your home sits on the market and can even result in a lower sale price.
Statistics show that homes sell faster and for slightly more money when they are staged. While price, location, and condition will attract buyers to your home, it’s that “feeling” the buyer experiences that ultimately sells it. Helping the buyer to see that your house “feels like home” often comes down to a few well-chosen and carefully arranged furniture and accessory pieces.
One seller I worked with in Forks Township installed new flooring and painted the entire interior of his home prior to listing. He did not want to stage as he felt the buyer would better appreciate the pristine condition of the house without décor pieces competing for attention. The price, location, and condition were outstanding for this property, but there were no offers after one week and ten showings. Additionally, multiple agents provided feedback that the living and dining areas were too small.
I was able to convince the homeowner to allow me to lightly stage the home with furniture and accent pieces from my décor inventory after it sat for eight days on the market. We agreed I would not hang art or window treatments to avoid damaging the walls he had freshly painted. I simply added a sofa, side table, and chair to the living room and a round table with 4 chairs in the dining room with a few pops of color added through accent pillows and accessories.
The very next showing produced a full-price offer and the home was sold and settled 30 days later.
5 Tips for Staging The Home You Live In
1. Make the most of the storage areas your home offers by donating unwanted items before listing. This will ensure you have room for the items you will want to store now and bring with you to your new home. It will also make the moving process a lot easier later!
2. Start your staging by storing off-season items in your basement, attic, garage, or in a rented storage unit. Cluttered closets can create the perception that storage space is lacking, so the removal of all off-season articles will free up space and make your closest look organized.
3. Repeat this process with kitchen cabinets and pantry. Any small appliances and special occasion serving pieces that you can live without while your home is on the market should be removed to storage.
4. You want your home to be as neutral as possible to appeal to as many buyers as you can. Remove dated and/or taste-specific décor pieces, degrees and awards, and most family photos. It’s fine to keep a few favorite pictures in the home, but ideally you want buyers to feel at home in your house and they may have difficulty doing so if your family is featured too prominently. Similarly, one or two team logos in the man cave show team spirit, while a shrine to your favorite player should be stored and saved for decorating your new digs. You don’t want to lose a sale because you’re an Eagles fan and the buyer likes the Cowboys or vice versa!
5. Make your rooms multi-task. Place a pull-out sofa or small bed together with a desk and chair in one room and show buyers how the space can serve as an office or a guest room. With the correct furniture placement, a family room could double as a home-schooling classroom. A sun porch could offer a dining area, a reading nook, and a yoga studio all in one space. The possibilities are endless!
Before listing your home, engage your realtor in a staging consultation. This service should be included when you list, or you can sign up for a stand-alone staging consultation for a nominal fee. Pricing for full staging services can vary widely, but are offered complimentary when you list with me.
Click Book Online to request any of these services today.
Cheryl Smith
Realtor®
Equity Pennsylvania Real Estate One W Broad St, Suite 1100 Bethlehem, PA 18018 (O)610-849-2737 (C)610-704-4956 athomewithcheryl@gmail.com