Prepare Your Home to Sell with Home Staging
Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money. Home Staging is not interior decorating; it is going through the home to make it appeal to the most buyers. It is pure economics, improve a product and it sells for more.
Whether the property is owner-occupied, or vacant, staging is recommended before listing a property. It can be equally effective after a property has been on the market for an extended period unsold. The cost of home staging is far less than the first price reduction after a home has been on the market. If you do not address the issues within the home, the buyer will typically walk through with a fix it list adding up in their mind. A home that is cluttered or in need of repair may instantly turn off potential buyers and trigger thoughts that a home may be too much money and work, as opposed to being in move-in ready condition. Many potential buyers may see the smallest tasks as overwhelming and attach a much larger amount to fix than the reality of completing these items prior to listing. Many times a fresh coat of paint and reworking furniture can dramatically improve the flow of the home.
With the summer real estate season just around the corner, many home sellers are waiting for the prime opportunity to place their home on the market. Summer is a strong season for both buyers and sellers. For those looking to sell their homes for the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time, there simply is no better tool than home staging. National Association of Realtors (NAR 2015) surveyed that a staged home was on the market 73% less time than homes that have not been staged.
Home staging allows buyers to see the space and not the distractions that could take their focus away from the beauty of the home. 90% of buyers are looking for homes online first before deciding to visit the property. Make sure all of the photos are a showing the property in a way to highlight the positives and down play negatives.
In California home staging can be used as a write off for advertising cost on capital gains. There are so many advantages to staging your home wither it be a vacation rental, full time residence, or new construction you need to put your best foot forward when placing your investment on the MLS. Then you can relax knowing that you have done everything to prepare your property for the best possible offer.
By: Cynthia Wigart
Element Innovations.
