“Home staging” is not a new term, but for many homeowners and real estate agents the concept of “professional home staging” is shedding new light on how to promote a home in the real estate marketplace. In past years, homeowners were left to their own discretion as far as preparing for home showings. Though they could occasionally rely on an agent for instructions, more often than not real estate agents were just as perplexed at working out the details as the homeowner.
While agents are experts in the field of selling and closing, many are not design savvy. Agents usually know exactly what factors can help sell a home. It’s just not always easy to get a home into selling condition in a timely manner without some sort of experienced assistance.
Professional home stagers are practiced in the art of preparing a home for resale. They work with the “flow” of a home, eliminate clutter, edit and arrange furniture, and even assist in enhancing curb-appeal. With the aid of a professional home stager, your house can make a notable first impression on potential homebuyers.
As the real estate industry often stresses, the first impression is the key factor in selling your home. Typically,” says Jan Van Horne of Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, “a potential buyer has made up their mind ten seconds after they step in the front door. They were already forming an opinion as they pulled into your driveway!” That really doesn’t leave too much room for fault.
“To achieve the greatest possible outcome,” Jan adds, “a home should always be presented at its best the first time around.”
The feeling that people get about the house from the street is called "curb appeal" and there are many home staging tips to improve it.
1) Eliminate any and all clutter. Trim back overgrown bushes, and generally do a thorough clean-up.
2) A fresh coat of paint goes a long, long way to making a house look good. Be careful not to pick too strong of a color. The idea is to appeal to the greatest number of buyers as possible.
3) Fresh sod or landscaping can make a major difference.
4) Eliminate any other negatives like oil stains on the driveway, an old T.V. antennae on the roof, etc.
5) Putting out some some simple flowers in a pot on the front porch, and a new doormat can create an inviting feeling to buyers.