Did you know that Home Staging is actually a 2-part process?
The first part is the preparation of the home and the most critical. If the home is not properly prepared, removing some personal items and bringing in some candles and pillows is not going to make the magic happen. The second part, or the showcasing, is all about aesthetics and appeal.
So what does preparing a home for the real estate market involve? Preparing a home involves not only de-cluttering, but taking care of any needed repair work, updating, painting and of course cleaning and a real cleaning of the home; top to bottom and windows too! This includes taking a good look at the exterior of the home or curb appeal also.
Sometimes a homeowner has lived with these imperfections for so long they no longer see them. However these types of items stand out like red flags to the potential buyers looking at the home for the first time. Prospective buyers are determining if this is a home they could feel comfortable enough to live in and secure enough with how the home has been maintained to make the financial commitment to purchase it.
If the front porch is dirty, shrubs and weeds are covering the walkway, the interior needs painting, and the carpet needs replaced, along with an abundance of stuff everywhere, realistically what buyer is going to make an exorbitant offer to purchase this home? However, by taking the time to really prepare a home, by addressing in advance any items that need to be fixed, repaired, replaced and cleaned, a buyer can truly see a home that is really move-in-ready. By showing pride of ownership you will have accomplished the first step in properly preparing or “staging” a home. This first step or Part 1 is critical to the success of Part 2 or “showcasing” a home for sale.
So what exactly do I mean by showcasing? Think of showcasing as merchandising or packaging a home. Merchandising is the reason companies pay advertising agencies to make their products look good to their prospective buyers. Put a complete and pretty package together that appeals to the prospective buyer’s needs and wants, and voila, the purchase ensues! This is the creative and artistic part of home staging and involves such things as proper paint colors, along with furniture, art and accessory arrangement. This step is what helps the buyer emotionally connect to the home. Remember that buying a home is not only a financial decision but an emotional decision. The buyer must be able to envision themselves living in this home, and living the lifestyle the home portrays for the desire to purchase the home to come to fruition.
Remember to do both steps for proper home staging; prepare and showcase your home if you want your home to stand out from the competition in the real estate market.
