The time has finally arrived to sell your home. You are probably selling for one the following reasons:
The current home is either to large or to small than you need
You’ve been relocated; or
You’ve simply decided that you don’t want the continued expense of a larger home you’ve had for years.
Whatever the reason, you are looking at selling one of the most expensive investments you have and you want to get the best price you possibly can for it. When real estate agents talk about staging your home, they are referring to decorating it in a way that best showcases the home’s assets. Staging involves preparing a home for sale, with special emphasis on presentation and appearance.
It is important to realize that preparing a home for sale and staging a home are not always the same thing. As part of your pre-sales preparations, you might want to go through the house to make repairs where needed. This is an essential step, since potential buyers will see everything they consider “wrong” to be an opportunity to reduce their offering price.
The goal of home staging, then, is to improve the home’s appearance in the eyes of a potential buyer, with the ultimate goal of selling it more quickly and for the highest possible price.
Just think of the homes you’ve looked at which were just okay and the homes that make you say, “Wow.” Professional staging can turn your home into the “wow” home.
Staging a home:
makes you think more as a buyer and less like a seller
increases the likelihood of a sale
forces you do de-clutter and organize
reduces the time on the market
helps justify the selling price
Many buyers simply lack the ability to imagine how good the house can look. Staging can be fun because it can easily become a creative process you’ll enjoy. Don’t forget, however, to stage the outside of the house – an area that frequently gets overlooked.Curb appeal is exactly what it sounds like. It is the first impression a potential buyer gets of your home.
How much time and money should you spend on home staging? The number of improvements you make to your home prior to selling is only limited by imagination and budget. A good rule of thumb is you should only spend as much on home staging as needed to achieve the desired effort, which is to sell the home quickly and for the best price.
You may be able to do it yourself. If you can’t that’s great. If you are uncertain, hire a professional who comes highly recommended.
Elaine Caldwell
Luxury for Less in Ponte Vedra
(904) 285-1986
